Go-ahead for Glenn Howells’ ‘landmark’ 49-storey Birmingham tower
23/6/21
Billed as the world's tallest octagonal tower, at 155m high the skyscraper will provide 370 homes and form part of the £700 million Paradise Birmingham development led by Argent and Hermes.
Birmingham City Council's planning committee approved the towers yesterday (29 April), despite objections from The Victorian Society, which previously said it was 'very concerned' about the proposal.
The heritage charity said the tower would damage the setting of several listed buildings, including the Grade II*-listed Council House, by Yeoville Thomason, and the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in Victoria Square.
The scheme will have 30 affordable flats – with rent priced at 80 per cent of market rent – equating to just 8.1 per cent of the total homes, less than the 35 per cent officially expected by Birmingham council. Half of the affordable homes will be one-bedroom and half will be two-bedroom.
The developer had submitted a viability report which said the tower could not support any affordable homes but it had decided 'to honour' the council's own independent assessment, which found that 8.1 per cent affordable homes could be achieved.
Planners at Birmingham City Council recommended the scheme for approval, saying it would be 'instantly recognisable; marking the heart of the city with a unique octagonal form.'
They added: 'The development would stand tall and proud as a signpost for Birmingham, the design is bold and unique and has the potential of becoming an architectural landmark for the city as well as for the West Midlands region.'
Dav Bansal, partner at Glenn Howells Architects, said: 'We are hugely excited about delivering Octagon and what this could mean for Birmingham as a truly distinct landmark on the city's skyline.
'With its instantly recognisable and slender design, it also offers homes of unparalleled individuality with the apartments enjoying a generous 12m facet of the Octagon.
'The crystalline expression of the horizontal façade allows the internal rooms to open up to panoramic views with brighter spaces and residents will also enjoy access to a range of amenities including a wellness hub, studio space and lounge.'
'The approach for this design is straightforward: we want to create the finest city centre homes in Birmingham, if not Britain, has ever seen, in a location that is simply unrivalled and in a building that is distinguishable for all the right reasons and become a part of this world-class destination.'
However Tim Bridges, the Victorian Society's conservation adviser for Birmingham and the West Midlands, said: 'A building of 49 storeys is simply too tall here.
'A well-designed building of no more than half that height might be appropriate and represent less of a departure from the original coherent Paradise Masterplan for medium height buildings in the redevelopment of this part of the city centre'.
The Octagon will be taller than Birmingham's current tallest building, the BT Tower, but will be dwarfed by Glancy Nicholl's 61-storey tower, which will stand at 193m.
The planning approval comes as the first phase of Paradise Birmingham – including an office building by Eric Parry Architects – has been completed. Other forthcoming buildings which form part of the development include a new red office block by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
Source: Architects Journal