Broad Street skyscraper plans unveiled

Aug 22 2006 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

BROAD Street is going up in the world with plans for a second major skyscraper in the city set to be approved.

A 40-storey hotel and apartment block will be built on the former site of Tramps nightclub.

At 132m tall, the new tower will be Birmingham's third tallest building behind the planned Arena Central at 175m and the 152m BT Tower, and on a par with the Beetham Tower at Holloway Circus.

It will bring back into use a site which has been derelict since Tramps closed in 1992.

Black Country developers the Richardson brothers are behind the tower which will house a 192 room hotel and up to 342 one and two bedroom apartments.

There will be a four storey wide base, topped by a 36 storey tower. The hotel will occupy the first 13 floors, with the flats above.

The top two floors will feature luxury penthouses with stunning views of the city through outward sloping windows, likened by city planners to a "cruise ship bridge providing a distinctive and memorable addition to the city's skyline".

At ground floor level there will be bars, restaurants or shops lining Broad Street.

The application is set to be decided at Thursday's planning committee.

* What do you think of Brum's new skyscraper? Does the city need such tall buildings? Tell us your views at www.birminghammail.net/news/yoursay