628 apartment scheme in Birmingham approved

Plans have been approved for a 628 apartment development in Birmingham’s Southside district.

The residential-led, mixed-use scheme will include 299 one-bedroom and 329 two and three-bedroomed apartments, plus 20,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial space, split across three separate blocks, the tallest of which will be 27 storeys.

Located on Lower Essex Street and bounded by Hurst Street and Sherlock Street, the development, called Lower Essex Square, will regenerate an unused and partly derelict brownfield site.

Designed by Claridge Architects and proposed by Lower Essex Ltd, Lower Essex Square will also include cycle and car parking provision, two landscaped courtyards and a roof terrace. 

Birmingham LGBT, the charity for the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people, will relocate its community centre from its current premises on Holloway Circus to the development.

Lower Essex Limited is a subsidiary of Aspley House Capital and Gilliard Homes.

Robin Norstrom, director at Apsley House Capital said: “Lower Essex Square will make a positive contribution to the local area, transforming a brownfield regeneration site into a high-quality mixed-use scheme that will strengthen the community offering and provide designed-led homes, complimented by a range of on-site amenities for residents to enjoy.

Charles Gillett of Pennycuick Collins, acting for the Gooch Estate, said: “Lower Essex Square is going to be another high-quality development. It will add to what is already an eclectic and diverse district of Birmingham and one that is fast becoming a thriving residential neighbourhood”.

Steph Keeble from Birmingham LGBT said: “The granting of planning approval for Lower Essex Square is welcome news and will secure the future of Birmingham LGBT in the Southside District, whilst also providing us with a new purpose-built community centre.”

Work on site is scheduled to start this year, with completion in 2025.