Regal plans Birmingham’s tallest residential block as apartment demand soars

A NEW tower block development in the heart of Birmingham city centre is set to virtually double in height in order to cope with increased demand for apartments.

Regal (West Point) has scrapped plans to open an 18-storey, 180-bed hotel as part of the second phase of its Left Bank development, located on the corner of Sheepcote Street and Broad Street.

Instead it has submitted a change of use application to Birmingham City Council for a 31-storey residential tower to include 206 apartments.

The apartments will be a mix of one, two and three bedroom properties, as well as a concierge, residents lounge, gym and spa for the private use of its residents. The development will also include 3,580 sq ft of retail, leisure and restaurant space on the ground floor. Once complete, at over 300 feet, it will be Birmingham’s tallest residential building.

Regal said demand for city centre living had prompted the rethink.

Regal’s Roger Holbeche said: “Birmingham has built a solid reputation as a strong location for businesses and continues to attract inward investment from leading organisations such as HSBC, which will transfer 1,000 roles to its new head office at Arena Central on Broad Street in 2018.  In fact, the Birmingham Development Plan suggests that around 100,000 jobs are due to be created in the city in the next 15 years.

“Demand for city centre housing therefore is huge. The latest statistics show that Birmingham will need 89,000 new households to meet the growing demand, including family properties, affordable housing and city centre living. The last update on these figures suggested that the city still has to find space for 38,000 of these homes and it’s schemes such as ours that can help meet this demand.”

It is easy to see the appeal of the new development; located on the doorstep of Brindleyplace – home to bluechip companies like Deloitte and Deutsche Bank – the proposed tower will also offer residents easy access to New Street Station and Colmore Business District.

Regal has already appointed Wates Construction to deliver phase one – a 21-storey building, funded by Aprirose Real Estate Investments – with completion expected in June 2018.

When complete, the first phase will deliver 189 one and two bedroomed apartments, together with a restaurant and café space at street level. The site, which also encompasses the recently refurbished Grade II listed Left Bank building at 78/79 Broad Street, will also deliver new landscaping and public realm.

Both buildings have been designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects. The tower has been designed with podium elements and a well-detailed façade that is said to acknowledge the character of Broad Street and its industrial heritage. 

Mark Holbeche, from Regal, added: “The proposed apartments will also benefit from considerable amenity space for its residents as well as the provision of new shops and restaurants at street level, complemented by a tree-lined pedestrian avenue between the two towers.”

Subject to planning approval, work on the second building is expected to commence early in the New Year, with completion in 2019.

The Birmingham office of Knight Frank is advising Regal. 

The city council has recently hinted it will take a more relaxed view to tall buildings in the city centre.

Last month it granted planning permission for a 25-storey BLOC hotel close to Grand Central and its new guidelines could be tested again when an application by CEG for a 26-storey block on the corner of Smallbrook Queensway and Hurst Street is considered.
 

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