Planners urge approval of new bar in a building which houses alcoholics

COUNCILLORS in Birmingham have been recommended to approve plans for a new bar in a building which houses people with alcohol addictions.

Lone Wolf Pubs plans to convert the ground floor and part of the first floor of the Bismillah Building in Constitution Hill.

The scheme would create eight new jobs.

Bismillah Building (which covers 2-26 Constitution Hill) and is grade A locally-listed building. The site is situated within the Viaduct area of the Jewellery Quarter Conservation Area, which is characterised primarily by medium and large scale 19th and early 20th century metalworking factories and workshops, many of which have now been sub-divided and changed use into a mixture of retail and other commercial uses as ground floor level.

The ground floor of the Bismillah Building is currently vacant, although the majority of the upper floors are used as flats by social housing provider Midland Heart.

Many of the 168 residents living in the flats suffer with drug and alcohol addictions and/or mental health issues. They are opposing the development on the grounds of noise and the potential for anti-social behaviour.

However, planning officers have said that provided conditions are imposed for noise insulation and restrictions on opening hours, then disruption should be minimised.

They said the scheme would also result in the economic use of the lower floors of the building without harming the character of the Jewellery Quarter’s Conservation Area.

In addition to the noise insulation, they have proposed a restriction on hours to 11pm on Monday to Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday. Approval would be limited to three years.

Thursday’s planning committee has been recommended to approve the proposals.