Financial dispute tilts planners away from Axis Square development

Planning officers at Birmingham City Council have recommended councillors refuse permission for Four Axis Square because developer LCR has not yet agreed to make a £230,000 payment the Council believes is due.

A report ahead of next week’s meeting said the current proposals for the site, which is between The Mailbox and Arena Central, would be “contrary” to the Birmingham Development Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Axis Square was granted planning permission in 2017 for five buildings totalling 1m sq ft of Grade A office space that could be home for up to 10,000 workers.

Four Axis Square is a 14-storey, 274,000 sq ft office block that is part of the first phase of the scheme.

When the Axis Square scheme received outline planning permission, a financial contribution of £985,000 was agreed to fund public realm works and a pro-rata calculation has decided £232,460 is payable.

However the developer has proposed to make no section 106 contribution with this application.

Birmingham City Council’s case officer Tom Evans said: “The principle of this scheme has already been established, as well as the appearance of the building and proposed landscaping.

“However, the applicant has to date, failed to agree to the requested planning contributions, proportionate to that agreed at outline consent, that are required in order to make the development acceptable, as such the application is recommended for refusal.”

There is still time for a change of heart, with negotiations ongoing ahead of next Thursday’s planning meeting.