Birmingham鈥檚 citizens are currently debating the future of their version of the Natwest Tower, so should they preserve recent architectual history or knock it down and start again?
If you鈥檝e ever walked up Colmore Row, Birmingham鈥檚 most chichi address and the heart of the city鈥檚 commercial district, you can鈥檛 but fail to have noticed the large concrete tower on the corner of Newhall Street.
Designed by leading local architect, John Madin, and completed in 1976, this is Birmingham鈥檚 very own NatWest Tower. It is also the subject of the latest planning controversy to hit the 鈥渟econd city鈥� as Brum once again debates what to do with its brutalist architectural heritage.
In the words of Clive Dutton, the city council鈥檚 director of planning and regeneration, it is a 鈥�22-storey, obsolete, charmless building, not fit for purpose.鈥� Mr Dutton is one of the many influential voices supporting British Land鈥檚 proposals for a new, 35-storey building for the site.
Not everyone agrees. The site is in the heart of the Colmore Conservation Area and a recent planning meeting expressed serious concerns about the size of the proposed new tower and the suitability of siting it so close to Brum鈥檚 Cathedral, Council House and the Town Hall. The argument goes that it would detract too much from the 19th century buildings in the locality. Separately, the existing building also has a lobby arguing for it to be listed as a prime example of Brum鈥檚 more recent architectural past.
Civic leaders are excited