Birmingham, a city with a rich industrial heritage and a vibrant cultural scene, has seen its skyline transform over the years. This transformation has been marked by the disappearance of some landmarks and the emergence of new ones.
We've taken a look at ten tower blocks that once stood tall in Birmingham but have since been demolished in the past 27 years, with more tower block demolitions planned - including in Druids Heath.
These ten towers have gone, but others reamain - like the enduring presence of The Sentinels - two 90-metre tall residential tower blocks on Holloway Head. These towers, named Clydesdale Tower and Cleveland Tower, were part of a major regeneration and council home building scheme following World War II, which in the 1960s and 1970s saw the construction of hundreds of tower blocks.
Today, The Sentinels are Birmingham's tallest tower block and remain a significant part of Birmingham’s transforming skyline with several new skyscrapers emerging owned by private property developers and filled with rental homes.
For instance, a new £360m skyscraper scheme at Curzon Wharf and Dartmoor Circus in Birmingham, which includes a tower that would stand taller than the city’s current tallest structure, the BT Tower, has been approved. This development will create about 1,000 jobs and include Birmingham’s tallest building.
Amid these changes, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has pledged to triple the number of social homes built across the West Midlands. If it comes off, this ambitious plan would be the first time the West Midlands Combined Authority has directly funded the building of Social Housing kickstarting a new era of social housing in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Andy has made the pledge in the run up to the Mayoral Elections in May when he is standing against Richard Parker for Labour, Sunny Virk for the Liberal Democrats, Siobhan Harper-Nunes for the Green Party and Elaine Williams for Reform UK.
While some landmarks have disappeared, others continue to stand tall, and new ones are emerging. Amid these changes, a commitment to social housing is vital to ensure that our city continues to be a place of diverse and vibrant communities.
Here are the following 10 tower blocks, once prominent features of Birmingham’s cityscape, have been demolished, over the years:
1. Stephenson Tower
Located above New Street Station, this 20-storey tower block was completed in 1967 and demolished in 2012 to make way for Grand Central. | Flickr
2. Holbrook Tower
This 20-storey tower block was part of the Bromford Bridge estate. Completed in 1968, it was demolished in 2018. | Google Maps
3. Burcombe Tower
Burcombe Tower was a 36 metre tall tower block on the Lyndhurst estate of Erdington, Birmingham. It was completed in 1960. In 1961, the tower block won the Civic Award for housing, along with the rest of the estate. Despite initial plans to refurbish the block, it was eventually demolished in 2010. | Flickr
4. Flint tower
A 20-storey tower block on Icknield Port Road in the Ladywood area of Birmingham, Flint Tower was completed in 1971 and demolished in 2004 | Birmingham city council