Birmingham’s most expensive apartment included in new £5.6m city centre scheme

A FORMER city centre office building in Birmingham is set for conversion into apartments as part of a £5.6m refurbishment.

Birmingham Properties Group (BPG) has unveiled the scheme for Galbraith House – which would include a deluxe penthouse.

Galbraith House, situated on the corner of Great Charles Street and Newhall Street, is a seven storey block which the developer believes could support 17,000 sq ft of luxury accommodation.

According to marketing agents Knight Frank, the scheme represents the highest specification residential development the city has seen – and one reflective of its position close to the new Paradise Birmingham development.

The £875,000 penthouse, which would command views across the whole of the city, is thought to be the most expensive Birmingham apartment currently on the market.  

Eight apartments have already been sold and John Tebbutt, managing director of BPG, which recently sold the building that houses Turtle Bay restaurant in John Bright Street to a private client for £1.2m, said interest in the remaining apartments was high.

The refurbishment, completed under permitted development rights (PDR), includes six one-bedroom apartments, 12 two-bedroom apartments, plus the 2,734 sq ft penthouse property.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to revitalise a prominent building in an excellent location, flanked by two important city centre developments at Paradise Circus and Snow Hill,” said Mr Tebbutt.
 
“Birmingham’s residential property market is particularly buoyant at the moment and there is a real need for premium city centre accommodation.
 
“We’ve aimed the Galbraith House apartments at owner-occupiers who insist on the very best standards, fittings and finishes. The response from potential buyers demonstrates that we have met and even exceeded those demands.”
 
Stuart Eustace, associate at Birmingham-based property agents Knight Frank, appointed to market the development, said the standard of the apartments was second to none.
 
“With the strong emergence of the owner-occupier market, purchasers have become more discerning and there is more pressure on developers to deliver high quality living accommodation,” he said.
 
“Galbraith House has achieved this by offering arguably the best specification the city has seen. The penthouse in particular is superb, with a sunroom and decked terrace that is unique in the city. This scheme puts you arguably in the best location there is to take advantage of any capital appreciation that comes as a result of the reorientation and development of Paradise.”
 
Architects Broadway Malyan designed the scheme and construction was carried out by contractor Danco.