Plans for £20m facelift to NIA to go on public display

THE public are being the chance to view plans for the £20m facelift to Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.

A public exhibition on the scheme takes place on Friday and Saturday at the ICC prior to a planning application for the work being submitted by Birmingham City Council.

The exhibition will feature a wealth of information on the scheme, along with models and representatives from the project will be available for questions.

The plans have been in the pipeline for some time and are intended to give the 20-year-old building a much-needed facelift; akin to the £29m transformation of NEC Group stablemate, the LG Arena, which was completed in 2010.

The modernisation scheme aims to take advantage of the venue’s location as well as the city’s retail economy.

The redevelopment is being financed by the city council and the loan will be repaid from increased income generated from the revamped venue.

The plans involve the extension of the venue towards the canals of Brindleyplace enclosed by roof-height glazed panels. The new façade is designed to soften the appearance of the 1990s building and improve the vista both from inside the arena and on approach from the canalside.

The design also includes a series of sky needles which will help to identify the arena on Birmingham’s rapidly changing skyline.

The extension will create between 500-1,000 additional seats, making the venue a more attractive one for agents and promoters.

The design brief is expected to be finished in September and subject to planning permission, work should begin shortly afterwards.

The construction timeframe is estimated at 18-months to two years but should be completed by the autumn of 2014.