Pressworks proposals include 23-storey tower on edge of city centre
A 711-home development on the edge of Birmingham city centre is being recommended for approval at a council meeting later today.
The Pressworks scheme, designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects for developer Prosperity Developments, covers a 1.2ha chunk of Birmingham鈥檚 Smithfield Masterplan area and includes a 23-storey tower and other blocks of up to 11 storeys in height. The scheme would also deliver 2,099sq m of new commercial space.
The developer has proposed that 10% of the new homes delivered as part of the scheme will be 鈥渁ffordable鈥�, well below Birmingham鈥檚 current target of 35%.
Older industrial and commercial buildings currently occupy the site, which is bounded by Rea Street, Bradford Street, Barford Street and Moseley Street. The tallest of them is three storeys high.
The scheme would be immediately opposite the grade II-listed Anchor pub, a regular winner of the Campaign for Real Ale鈥檚 regional pub of the year, and around 350m from the grade II* St Martin in the Bull Ring church.
Historic England has expressed concerns about the impact of the plans on the church, but acknowledged the harm would be in the 鈥渕oderate鈥� range of the National Planning Policy Framework鈥檚 鈥渓ess than substantial鈥� category.
Birmimgham City Council鈥檚 principal conservation officer noted that the scheme would result in the loss of four non-designated heritage assets that are 鈥渃ompletely characteristic鈥� of the Digbeth and Cheapside area. They left it up to planning officers to decide whether the buildings鈥� loss was acceptable on balance.
Lendlease, which is Birmingham鈥檚 development partner for the Smithfield Masterplan 鈥� but not involved in the Glancy Nicholls scheme 鈥� submitted around a dozen grounds of objection to the proposals. They included alleged shortcomings in the development team鈥檚 heritage assessment and concerns about 鈥減iecemeal development鈥� within the masterplan area.
Officers acknowledged Lendlease鈥檚 concerns but noted that other issues raised had subsequently been dealt with.
Recommending the proposals for approval, Birmingham planning officers said the Glancy Nicholls scheme offered the city the opportunity to 鈥渃ontinue the transformational change鈥� already under way in the area and deliver a high number of new homes in a sustainable location.
鈥淭he scale, design and massing would be acceptable and would enhance the appearance of the site, complementing redevelopment which has already taken place in the vicinity,鈥� they said.
鈥淭he development would also contribute towards implementation of the Smithfield Masterplan.鈥�
Birmingham鈥檚 Planning Committee meets at 11am today to consider the application.
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