Birmingham heritage risk claims: Photos show iconic city buildings 'under threat from council's financial woes'

The Victorian Society and its regional West Midlands and Birmingham Group are concerned that Birmingham City Council’s current financial situation is preventing it from intervening to prevent the continuing deterioration of listed heritage in the city.

At the top of the Society’s agenda is urging the council to immediately intervene to protect a fine Victorian conservatory in Edgbaston.

However, a spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: “The council is aware of the city’s heritage and is actively working with owners to protect listed buildings.”

The Society urges the council to issue an Urgent Works Notice without delay on buildings that stand neglected by their owners.

Tim Bridges, Victorian Society conservation officer for Birmingham, said despite several meetings with council representatives over recent months and years he does not believe any action has been taken.

He said: “If a listed building is neglected by its owner, section 48 of the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 permits the council to serve a 'repairs notice' on the owner outlining the work required to rectify it.

“We are just calling on the Council to fulfil its statutory obligations to protect our built heritage and use its powers. “

The Society is concerned that as 1 in 4 councils in England say they are likely to have to apply for emergency government bailout agreements to stave off bankruptcy in the next two financial years (2025/26 and 2026/27), the situation for heritage will worsen and the examples manifesting in Birmingham may multiply.

The Corinthians

The group stresses that something has to be done immediately to stop the continuing decline of the magnificent conservatory at The Corinthians on, 96 Bristol Road in Birmingham.

Mr Bridges, of the Society, added: “Regarding our concerns for the condition of the Conservatory at 96 Bristol Road we wrote to the Council Conservation Officer first in March 2022, then in July 2023, November 2023 and May 2024. An urgent works notice was to be issued in November 2023 but if that happened there has been no result.”

The building has been occupied by Optimax Laser Eye Clinic for many years and the conservatory is now derelict.

The Corinthians is a fine Grade II listed, white stucco villa, built in 1850 with a statement conservatory attached to the side of the building. The condition of the hot house has led to the Society writing to the Principal Conservation Officer at Birmingham City Council, to confirm that an urgent works notice is being issued in relation to this key element of the building in an important conservation area.

The Birmingham conservatory, on the historic Calthorpe Estate, was constructed at the same time as the Crystal Palace in London and even before the world-famous Kew Gardens glasshouses were finished, when such buildings were all the rage for the affluent upper and middle classes.

The Corinthians’ glass house exhibits many fine features of the genre including a steep-pitched roof and triangular shape, which efficiently drains rainwater while creating a high and airy interior, arched windows feature large panes of glass to maximise the natural light and allow a connection between interior and exterior; the glazing includes rich stained glass panels in hues of purple and yellow.

The conservatory would have featured plants such as palms, ferns, and other exotics being brought to Britain by the intrepid Victorian plant hunters.

Stephen Hartland, Chair of the Birmingham and West Midlands Group of the Victorian Society,said: “The current financial plight of the City Council and restrictions on spending imposed by the Commissioners may account for inaction by the Council, but statutory functions relating to conservation and our built heritage must not be ignored for short term financial gain and I call upon the Council to issue an Urgent Works Notice under Section 48 Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 without delay.”

Lying- in Hospital - 80 Broad Street

The historic Lying-In Hospital, 80 Broad Street has work from 1863 by J.J.Bateman and fine railings by Martin and Chamberlain of 1869.

It is also Grade II listed. The building has been empty and become increasingly dilapidated since the closure of Zara’s Club in 2019. In June this year a planning application was refused for the construction of a 42-storey tower on supports directly over the historic building, but since then nothing has been done to repair the building itself or bring it back into use.

Mr Bridges said: “Regarding 80 Broad Street there has been a long planning history of issues about unauthorised works prior to the closure of Zara’s Club in 2019, but since then the building has been vacant and vulnerable.”

Central Hall, Corporation Street

The steeple of Central Hall is a city landmark at the top of Corporation Street.

This huge building of terracotta has lovely sculptures around the entrance as well as corner turrets like Indian chattris.

Completed in 1903 at a cost of over £96,000 to designs by Birmingham architects Ewen and J. Alfred Harper, it was the main place of worship for the city’s Methodist congregation, and could seat 2,500 people.

In 1989 it became the Que Club, a favourite Birmingham venue for performances by many famous artists including David Bowie, Blur and Massive Attack until it closed in 2017.

Plans for conversion of Central Hall to a hotel were approved by Birmingham City Council in 2018. These were never implemented.

Mr Bridges said: “Regarding Central Hall we have raised the condition repeatedly since our response to the planning application for hotel conversion in 2018. There is plenty of worrying evidence of unlawful entry to the building and its increasingly deteriorating and vandalised condition.”

Revised plans for conversion to a hotel and events venue were then approved in 2017, and the site acquired by new owners in 2022, yet this Grade II*listed building still remains vacant.

The tower has plants growing from it and is covered in graffiti. Central Hall is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.

BirminghamWorld has made attempts to contact the owners of the buildings in question. More information to follow.