Lee Longlands looks skyward with city centre tower project

ICONIC Birmingham furniture store chain Lee Longlands is planning to build a city centre tower with a 310-bedroom hotel above its head office and shop.

Known for its luxury furniture and household goods, the family-run firm is a long-established name in the second city after its first shop opened at 304 Broad Street at the turn of the last century.

The company  has submitted a planning application to construct the hotel above its main shop and HQ at 224 Broad Street.

The project, which would be between eight and 20 storeys tall, also includes plans for 16,125 sq m of commercial offices, student accommodation with 338 bedrooms and 2,200 sq m of retail space. The facades of the shop would be retained.

The scheme has been designed by Birmingham-based Glenn Howells Architects and is open for public consultation until April 7.

If successful, the new hotel would be within very close proximity to a Travelodge, Jurys Inn, Novotel, a new Hampton by Hilton in Cumberland House and a possible ‘Regal Tower’ mixed-use development mooted last year.

Managing director Robert Lee told TheBusinessDesk.com he would like the shop to continue trading during the development but it might have to temporarily relocate.

“The idea is to build on top of the shop and close the retail unit for a period of time,” he added.

“There’s still the question of how we trade through development. The idea is to keep the furniture store and use the space above it to maximise the value of the asset.

“We had that shop purpose built for us in 1930 but it’s looking tired now. We have to think about the next 30 or 40 years and what the store should look like.”

Mr Lee added that he hoped it would be completed within the next two to three years once planning permission was secure.

Pic right: Artist’s impression of proposed tower looking from Brindleyplace.