Multi-million-pound office building redevelopment set for go ahead

Multi-million-pound plans for the major redevelopment of a Birmingham city centre commercial building are set for the go-ahead – despite objections from preservationists.

Developer CEG is proposing a part-redevelopment, part-refurbishment of the south-eastern side of Smallbrook Queensway, which stretches between the Bullring and Holloway Circus.

The scheme would mean the demolition of buildings designated SBQ1 and 2, the latter being the bridge section spanning Hurst Street.

The move would pave the way for a 26-storey tower and a nine-storey shoulder building incorporating a mix of residential and commercial uses.

Preservationists have condemned the move because it would mean the loss of another piece of architecture central to the city’s 1960s character.

The long, sweeping façade of Smallbrook Ringway – as the building was originally called – was designed by Birmingham architect James A Roberts, who also designed the nearby Rotunda. Many critics of the latest scheme have said the Ringway – dubbed one of the first examples of speculative modernism – is arguably the stronger of the two designs and the building should be retained in its current form to ensure the link to the city’s past is preserved.

However, Historic England has ruled that the buildings are not worthy of being listed because their “architectural and historic interest does not meet the relevant criteria”.

Plans submitted to Birmingham City Council are in two parts. The first proposes the demolition and subsequent redevelopment of part of the Smallbrook Queensway building currently known as SBQ 1 and 2.

SBQ2 comprises the bridge link above Hurst Street connecting the application building to the remainder of the Ringway Centre (SBQ 3 and 4). The bridge link offices would be largely removed, including the supporting pillars situated within the pavement of Hurst Street except for the section immediately adjacent to SBQ3 which is structurally integral to the unit occupied by Snobs nightclub.

The replacement building would the 26-storey residential tower on the corner of Hurst Street and Smallbrook Queensway, together with the nine-storey shoulder building.

Behind the building would be a private courtyard space for use by the occupants of the proposed development above a basement parking level accessed off Hurst Street.

At ground floor level, there would be two entrances to the apartments together with two retail units and back of house facilities including plant, cycle storage, and refuse storage. Residential apartments would occupy all of the upper floors.

The hard landscaping around the building would be upgraded including new hard surfaces, the retention of three trees and the replacement of another which has been damaged.

Overall the proposed development would provide 300m² of  retail space and 309 residential apartments. In addition there would be 101 parking spaces, 223 cycle parking space and internal services and plant totalling 6,000m².

The proposed tower forms the most striking element of the proposals. The scale of the tower has been guided by the height of the existing Centre City building obliquely opposite.

The plans have met with criticism from the Twentieth Century Society.

Society members object because they claim the proposals constitute the total loss of a non-designated heritage asset. They consider that there is potential for the sensitive refurbishment and that efforts should be made to try and regenerate the existing building so a piece of the city’s 1960s architecture is retained.

They said the demolition would result in the loss of local distinctiveness and heritage, an important part of post-war planning history, and the symbolic loss of the city wall and gateway which SBQ was intended to evoke.

Less radical is the second part of the scheme, which proposes the extensive refurbishment of the parts of the building designated SBQ3 and 4; although many of its existing features – including the current façade – would be replaced.

The existing office complex, together with the current retail/commercial uses at ground floor level would be stripped back to the supporting concrete frame with basement levels beneath.

The proposals would see the existing building totally remodelled with only the concrete frame and the wider building footprint remaining of the existing SBQ 3 & 4 building. The upgrade would see the building given an entirely new largely glazed façade with a feature entrance portal at its central providing access to the offices.

In addition, a two-storey rooftop extension would provide additional accommodation above the existing structure. At first floor level there would be an extension to the rear to provide additional office accommodation. There would also be new rooftop plant equipment.

At ground floor level the shop fronts would be replaced, while the hard landscapimng would be upgraded in a similar way to that featured outside SBQ1 and 2.

Overall, the proposed development would provide 13,900m² of office space, 1,740m² of retail and 1,820m² of nightclub use (currently the unit occupied by Snobs). In addition, there would be 90 parking spaces, 164 cycle parking space and internal services and plant totalling 5,560m².

The Smallbrook Queensway frontage would be totally transformed into a glass frontage with limestone veneered rain-screen cladding in pale cream stone with deep reveals arranged in bands demarking each floor.

Bronze fins form part of the façade system between each window pane. The lower part of the glazed areas would have a translucent panel to hide the area beneath the desks.

The gable ends of the building would be opened up with new feature glazing, surrounded by stone cladding.

At street level, the row of shop units would be harmonised with a single design of bronze metal framed frontages with large glazed display windows, granite stall risers and new signage. The shopfronts would be brought slightly forward compared to their current location.

The rear extension would have frontages to Dudley Street, Hurst Street and Wrottesley Street. In Dudley Street, a former petrol filling station would be remodelled to form a retail unit, with a further retail unit and a floor of office above.

On Hurst Street, the rear extension would add an additional floor of office accommodation matching the height of the casino next door. The unit occupied by Santorini Bar and Grill would be incorporated into the overall design. The retained unit occupied by Snobs would be amended to match the wider redevelopment proposals.

The height of the part of the building fronting Wrottesley Street would increase by one floor and the elevation would be remodelled to introduce an active office frontage at the upper three levels. The car park/servicing access would be improved with new security shutters.

In his report to Thursday’s planning committee, case officer Nicholas Jackson said: “I consider that at least some of the essence (and therefore distinctiveness) of the existing building is carried through into the redevelopment proposals for SBQ3&4 by virtue of the retention of the sweeping form at the eastern end of the scheme and the reflection of the patterning in the existing concrete panelling used in the proposed glazing.

“I therefore conclude that, on balance, the benefits of the proposals do justify the harm to this non-designated heritage asset and raise no heritage-based objections.

“The proposed development offers a high quality residential-led scheme within the heart of the city that will assist in the ongoing supply of residential accommodation in sustainable locations. The tower’s height and position is fully justified and I consider that it would provide a positive contribution to the city’s skyline.

“The provision of retail/commercial uses at ground floor level will help to keep the street animated and the works to the wider public realm are a significant benefit. The loss of this non-designated heritage asset is justified by the proposals.”