Curzon Wharf: Brummies react to plans for Birmingham’s tallest ever building

Development plans have been submitted for Curzon Wharf - Birmingham’s tallest ever building.

The £360m skyscraper scheme includes more than 1,300 homes across four massive buildings and the planning committee at Birmingham City Council is set to give its decision on whether it should go ahead later this week.

Ahead of the meeting the Local Democracy Service (LDRS) has been collated some reaction from locals - with some people concerned about the plans, with others believing it is a positive step for the city.

The scheme would involve a patch of industrial land next to Dartmouth Circus roundabout being transformed into four buildings, one of which would be 53 storeys high, containing 732 student apartments and 620 residential homes. The site would also contain shops, pubs, a gym, bowling alley and cinema.

The current tallest building is the Octagon - a 49-storey residential skyscraper under construction at Paradise in the city centre. One person said of Curzon Wharf: “This is another ‘pie in the sky’ development. Birmingham City Council seems to be giving developers the green light.

“This does nothing to help the housing shortage that the city has. Already all the old factories/warehouses in Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter have been converted into luxury flats which are sitting empty. Time for Birmingham City Council to tell the developers if you won’t fill them we will!”

Another user named Renta simply said, “More for the rich, nothing for the ordinary worker”, while Peter Hannon called Birmingham a “15-minute city” and said, “it will still be quicker to reach the top floor than getting to the toilets in a Wetherspoons.”

Over on Facebook, Sabrina Dunkley commented: “£360 million?! Think of how much that could help homelessness in the city.” Several users remarked on the site’s proximity to HS2’s future station at Curzon Street, which is reportedly just an eight-minute walk away. Andrew Walton commented: “Birmingham is to be a commuter hub for London. Eight minutes walk from Curzon Street station, says it all.”

Jozef Nakielski added: “They’re hoping because then they can put the prices up. HS2 is BAD news for Birmingham, bad for rental prices bad for buyers, bad news for rail commuters, you’ll either pay HS2 prices or lose services. The West Coast main line will certainly lose fast services.”

Several comments lauded the ambition of the proposals and said it made them proud of their city. Javid Jan wrote on Facebook: “Birmingham residents have always had an issue with building up….. Land mass, Birmingham is way above any conurbation outside London…… Proud to be a Brummie, it’s time to let go and look forward.”