Post & Mail office scheme set for green light from planners

The developer of a multi-million pound scheme to transform the former Birmingham Post & Mail printing hall into a Grade A office facility looks set to receive planning consent for the scheme.

Chatham Billingham had planned to build 15-storeys of mixed use offices and apartments above the media group’s former printing hall in Weaman Street. The development would sit above a completed 760-space car park scheme developed in the bowels of the former printing hall.

However, earlier this year the developer scrapped the residential element of the scheme in favour of an office-only development to meet the city’s growing demand.

Separate applications propose 12, 13 and 14 floors respectively.

A report to Thursday’s Birmingham city planning committee states that the 14-floor plan would result in 47,096sqm of gross internal office floor space.

“Given the location of the development within the Colmore Business District, Class B1 office use is clearly appropriate,” says the report.

“Furthermore, there is high demand for purpose-built Grade A office space within the city, and large format floor plates, which the Post & Mail building is capable of offering, are particularly attractive in the current market.

“Overall, the amount of office floorspace and the total floorspace for the Phase 2 development is within the maximum limits permitted.”

The 13-floor option would result in 43,732 sqm of gross internal office floor space, while the 12-storey scheme proposes 40,368 sqm of space.

The council said it had no objections to the amended layout or the proposed use.