Office block above 02 Academy earmarked for aparthotel up for sale

A vacant office block adjoining Birmingham’s O2 Academy with planning permission to be transformed into an aparthotel has been put on the market.

Plans to revamp St James House, which has lain vacant since 2003, into a 156-room aparthotel were approved by Birmingham City Council last month.

A franchise agreement is in place for the aparthotel to be operated as a Residence Inn by Marriott.

The plans provide for a redevelopment of the site on Horsefair into a 12-storey aparthotel.

The 1970s office building currently has a ground-floor entrance and six upper floors and the plans provide for retaining three floors, demolishing the rest and building nine new storeys.

Neil Inman and Phil Manson, of property management and surveying firm Scanlans, are disposing of St James House as joint LPA receivers for the building.

They have appointed BNP Paribas Real Estate to sell the site.

Inman said: “Since our appointment as LPA receivers, plans have been submitted and approved which significantly enhance the value of the site.

“St James House is in a great location on Horse Fair, part of the A38 Bristol Road and close to Birmingham’s central business district, and its transformation into an aparthotel will provide much-needed city centre accommodation for visitors to Birmingham.”

Simon Robinson and Mark Robinson, senior directors in the Birmingham office of BNP Paribas Real Estate, are running the sale process.

Simon Robinson said: “With planning consent secured for a 156-room aparthotel to be operated as a Residence Inn by Marriott, it’s an opportune time to bring the property to market.

“St James House is located in an exciting part of Birmingham where numerous development schemes are under way or planned, and we anticipate a great deal of interest from potential buyers.”