Crowning Birmingham skyline from Left bank
Earlier in March I blogged Regal Tower to crown Birmingham's Broad Street with the announcement at the MIPIM 2009 property summit of a proposed £125 million skyscraper on Broad Street in Birmingham.
The tower designed by architects Aedas would be a mixed use scheme incorporating a hotel, retail, leisure and city living situated on the corner of Broad Street and Sheepcote street next to Brindleyplace. The proposal was to have a planning application submitted in May with work commencing early 2010.
A planning application has now been submitted for the tower which will be Birminghams tallest building at 656 ft over 56 storeys. It will contain a 289 bed luxury hotel, 256 serviced apartments, three floors of penthouses and a parade of boutique shops on the ground floor; New tallest building in Birmingham? Aedas reveals 200.5m tower, Plans for Birmingham's tallest tower, Plans submitted for £125m Birmingham skyscraper.
Roger Holbeche, of Regal Property Group, believes that the building has the potential to become a focal point for the area, whilst providing much-needed state-of-the-art facilities immediately adjacent to Brindleyplace, The NIA and the ICC.Proposals being submitted to Birmingham City Council also include a premium bar and restaurant, a 500-person banqueting suite and conference and meeting rooms.Other facilities include a spa and fitness suite and a double height Sky Bar on the 30th floor, offering a view across the city. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/commercial-property-birmingham/2009/10/26/plans-submitted-to-build-birmingham-city-centre-s-tallest-building-which-will-stand-at-656-feet-65233-25013035/
The building is expected to take three years to construct and subject to planning approval would begin construction at the end of 2010. Lighting consultants Hoare Lee have been drafted in to give the scheme a look partly inspired by the Empire State Building in New York with illumination set to enhance the tower with lights illuminating the steps of the tower and it's crown using LED lighting which has low energy use and low maintenance.
The development also incorporates the listed Left Bank building fronting Broad Street which is of architectural significance and which gives the Regal Tower it's alternative name of Left Bank Tower, http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=216824. Pevsner's Birmingham 2005 book describes the building as:
The following images of the proposed tower are from the planning application: 2009/04215/PAthe former Birmingham and District Bank of 1898 by C.E.Bateman. A beautiful Shavian classical piece with Arts and Crafts touches, see the stone bands marking the quoins, and a slight French air e.g. the little iron balconies. Sumptuous angled corner porch with Ionic columns. (sic)
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