BRUM REACHES FOR THE SKY (AGAIN!)

30-05-2008

Boris Johnson might have signalled the end of London’s love affair with the skyscraper, but in Birmingham it’s only just beginning. The latest in an ever growing queue of new generation high rises has just been unveiled.

Called the Beorma Tower, it will nestle alongside Selfridges at the top of Digbeth on the block where The Ship Ashore pub and MokKham’s Tandoori used to operate.

Reaching 30 storeys high, it will have offices and a hotel with basement parking and is the anchor building of a new, and so far only sketchily explained, Beorma Quarter.

Just a few years ago, John Prescott as Minister for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, blocked plans for a skyscraper in Birmingham on the Arena Central site, next to Alpha Tower, on the grounds that it might interfere with low flying planes.

Now Brum is on the brink of a high-rise revolution, with the V building proposed for Arena Central; a 35-storey office block on Colmore Row in line to replace the Nat West building; the v200 theme park is planned for Eastside; while 38 storey hotel and apartment is pencilled in for Broad Street.

IS IT HIGH TIME BIRMINGHAM HAD A SKYSCRAPER REVOLUTION? LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE STIRRER FORUM