AP Colmore Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Ashtrom Properties UK), working with Lichfields and Buckley Gray Yeoman (BGY) architects, is delighted to announce the submission of a detailed planning application to Birmingham City Council for the partial demolition and extensive refurbishment and extension of the existing Colmore Gate building, next to the Great Western Arcade on Colmore Row.

The application proposals comprise a 26-storey tower and a 10-storey shoulder building and seeks to deliver best in class office space at this gateway location into Birmingham’s Central Business District.

Sustainability lies at the heart of the proposal. Rather than redevelop, the proposed design seeks to recycle and extend the existing building, which enables the construction of a truly sustainable low/zero carbon structure that will maximise the use of embodied carbon, alongside the introduction of highly efficient materials and building services.  These will be complemented by the introduction of landscape and biodiversity features as well as significant upgrades to the appearance, façade and functionality of the existing office building, and upgraded employee and visitor facilities to enhance health and wellbeing. The proposals include improvements to the public realm with enhanced ground floor activation of the building, including new entrances onto Colmore Row and Bull Street, the retention of commercial units at ground floor level and the closure of the existing passageway through the building to be replaced by a safer and more attractive pedestrian route around the building.

The application submission follows a period of positive engagement and pre-application liaison with Birmingham City Council Officers and key stakeholders, resulting in a design which, in terms of scale, massing and appearance, fully considers the historic context of this sensitive location within the setting of the Colmore Row and Environs Conservation Area and St Philips Cathedral. 

Guy Lewinsohn, CEO at Ashtrom Properties, said: “We are thrilled to have submitted this planning application and excited to see the transformation of this building take place. We want to thank Birmingham City Council for their support and enthusiasm. We are committed to the city and look forward to expanding our investment in Birmingham.”

Tom Edgerley, Director of Development at Ashtrom Properties, said: “We are excited to announce that we have submitted a planning application for the refurbishment and extension of Colmore Gate. This is a major milestone in our plans to regenerate this important building and create a new employment hub for the region. This project has the potential to create 3,600 new jobs and generate over £200 million in economic output per year. We look forward to working with the local authority to bring this project to fruition.”

The planning application is currently in the process of being validated by Birmingham City Council, with a decision expected before the end of 2023.

To view further details of the planning application proposals, please visit our project website www.colmoregate.com, or contact the Lichfields team via e-mail colmoregate-consultation@lichfields.uk.