Plans for city’s tallest office block taken back out of the drawer

Plans for a 30-storey tower at Beorma Quarter have been dusted down once more as the Kuwaiti-backed scheme looks to attract pre-lets to enable work to start on the development.

The city centre scheme is close to the Bullring and the £18m first phase, which includes Adagio aparthotel, is “mostly completed”.

Phases two and three, which would deliver grade A offices, residential, retail, restaurants and a hotel, has an estimated development cost of £140m. If built, the tower would become the tallest office block in the city.

A skyscraper was first mooted for the site in 2008, with planning granted the following year. Disputes and delays hit the project – as well as the economic backdrop – but planning approval for the 30-storey tower was given towards the end of 2015.

Developed Salhia KSC, which is headquartered in Kuwait City, is again saying construction “is expected to start later this year”.

It is now seeking pre-lets of the commercial office space and said “negotiations are in hand with several interested parties”.

Salhia’s deputy chief executive Abdulaziz Al-Nafisi said: “We’ve been investing in UK property for over 20 years, including the redevelopment of Farnborough town centre in Hampshire, working with joint venture partners such as St Modwen Properties. Beorma Quarter will be our first stand-alone, UK project.

“With a focus on Birmingham because of HS2 and the Midlands Engine, we think the development will be a great addition to the city and further boost the local economy in the Digbeth district.”

Phase I has seen the refurbishment of the listed Cold Store, now mostly let to The Prince’s Trust, which is next to the 108-room Adagio aparthotel that opened in August 2015.

Waheed Nazir, corporate director, economy, at Birmingham City Council, added: “I am delighted to see Phases II and III of the Beorma Quarter coming forward to provide good quality space to further enhance the city’s offer to relocating companies. Building on the success of recent relocations from major companies like HS2, HSBC and HMRC, it is clear that Birmingham is set to continue to be a hugely attractive place to invest and do business.”