Sky’s the limit as Birmingham prepares for new high-rise hotel

PLANS for a new high-rise hotel in Birmingham city centre are set for the go-ahead from planners – despite the height of the building.

BLOC Hotels is proposing to build the 25-storey flagship scheme on the site of a 1960s office building on the corner of Hill Street and Station Street, opposite the entrance to New Street Station and Grand Central.

The hotel, which would have 238 bedrooms, would also feature a ground floor café or restaurant plus reception area. It is expected the scheme could create 40 new jobs.

The proposed café/restaurant would be integrated into the reception space but run separately from the hotel; it would be open to both guests and the general public.

The reception area would have a double height frontage with a mezzanine area located on the first floor serving as an additional lobby and café seating space.

Floors two to 23 would provide hotel accommodation with a typical floor comprising nine standard rooms and two apart-rooms.

The hotel would also accommodate a private roof terrace providing guests with spectacular views of the Birmingham skyline.

The middle section of the building is designed with matt black aluminium brise soleil (fins) overlaid on polished black ceramic granite rainscreen cladding. The horizontal fins wrap around the building. Windows would be dark tinted, flush mounted with black spandrel panels.

Roof-top plant will be shielded behind a plant screen on the top two storeys and these would be finished in matt black anodised aluminium panels with back-lit gold anodised aluminium signage to act as an accent colour.

The site is currently occupied by the six storey Gallan House, which would be demolished. The building is currently less than 50% occupied.

Planning rules suggest that the height of buildings within the city centre should be restricted to eight storeys unless there are special circumstances that would dictate otherwise.

There are also a number of tall buildings close to the site; to the north is the Telephone Exchange building, a 20-storey building, while to the south is Beetham Tower, which at 39-storeys is the city’s tallest structure. The building also accommodates the Radisson Blu Hotel and residential apartments. To the east of the site is Bruntwood’s 21-storey Centre City.

Planning permission is also being sought for a new tower under a scheme which would see the redevelopment of the Smallbrook Queensway.

Supporting its application, BLOC said the hotel was of a high quality design which would enhance the city’s skyline.

It added that as the hotel was located directly opposite the entrance to New Street Station there was an opportunity to create a distinctive gateway to the transport hub.

It cited the proposals planned for the early stages of the station redevelopment which included two 30-storey towers at its gateway. These proposals were later shelved on cost grounds due to the onset of recession.

The towers were eventually replaced with what was to become the flagship John Lewis department store.

Making his recommendation to approve the scheme, case officer David Wells writes in a report to September 1’s planning committee: “Overall, I consider that the scheme is of the highest quality in terms of architectural form, detail and material. In particular, the façade and top of the building are well considered. Moreover, the double height entrance lobby and café restaurant would enliven the base of the building and be an attractive destination.”