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BBC News
13-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Plans for Birmingham canalside tower branded 'vandalism'
Plans for a 29-storey canalside skyscraper have been described as "vandalism" by a group working to conserve the Birmingham behind the project for nearly 250 new homes have said the proposed building, in Gas Street Basin, would be an "energy-positive" building, through generating more power than it the Birmingham Canals Navigation Society said the development would overshadow everything else in the heritage by GNM Developments (GNMD) have been submitted, but have not yet been considered by Birmingham City Council. Gerald Manton, managing director of GNMD, said: "The site itself is 106 metres long by 8.5 metres wide. When you take the form of that site, you can't go outwards, you can only go up. It's that narrowness that actually allows this building to be energy positive."The shape of the building had allowed architects "to put so much solar on the one side that it was able to be energy-positive", he explained. However Bob Fox, from BCNS, said: "It's going to overshadow everything here in what is actually what is actually a very, very good heritage site."To ignore the existing culture and produce something that is totally at odds with it, is tantamount to vandalism."It sticks out like a sore thumb really - in our view a non-starter. It lacks sympathy with what already exists."The plans will see a toll house, which was built in 1875, repurposed and restored, but the warehouse next door to it would be has said Gas Street Basin contain many listed earlier objections, the society said: "The plans do not adequately acknowledge the historic importance of the canals."The balance between canalside charm, industrial heritage and contemporary development has swung too far towards the latter, sweeping away the very heritage that attracts visitors in the first place." Rachael Korbly, lead architect for the building, said demolition would be required on the site."The existing building isn't structurally sound, so we are going to demolish it, but repurpose the bricks," she said "a lot of thought" had gone into making sure the scheme reflected the local character of the area, adding: "We think that blend of old and new together really works."The planned building will have apartments, communal gardens, lounge areas, a cinema and fitness facilities, the developers said. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Birmingham: Plans revealed for 29-storey canalside skyscraper
Developers have unveiled plans for a 29-storey tower block in a historic area of behind the project for nearly 250 new homes said the proposed canalside skyscraper at Gas Street Basin would be an "energy-positive" building, which would generate more power than it GNM Developments described The Narrowhouse project as "groundbreaking" for its sustainable living scheme was first submitted last year as "Gather & Soul", but had been renamed to reflect the heritage of the building's location at the centre of the city's canal network, the firm said. At 29 storeys, the tower would be covered in advanced solar panels, transforming sunlight into electricity to power the building and feed excess energy into a local clean-energy said their vision would place Birmingham at the forefront of green innovation while creating 249 apartments in the city added residents would benefit from private apartments with shared social would also be a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of the firm said it had worked alongside officers at Birmingham City Council and amended proposals in response to feedback received. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
