The city council’s planning committee voted to postpone a vote on the Manchester practice’s Trifecta Residences scheme after raising a number of concerns over the affordability and mix of the proposed ،mes.
As well as the skys،er on the corner of Bristol and Bromsgrove Streets, the proposals include an 11-storey tower on Bristol Street and a seven-floor block on Es، Street.
The overall development would provide 550 flats for rent, 31 of which would be affordable and 232 of which would have just one bedroom. The scheme, for Ryland Estates Investments, also includes 590m² of ground-floor commercial ،e as well as roof gardens and other outdoor and indoor amenity ،e.
But the plans have angered the Victorian Society and the Twentieth Century Society. The heritage campaign groups have expressed concern about several existing low-rise buildings on the 0.6ha site set to be demolished to make way for the scheme.
Despite this, planning officers recommended the scheme’s approval, saying there were ‘enough benefits ،ociated with this proposal to outweigh the heritage harm’.
The committee took a markedly different view.
Councillor David Barker called for the deferral, criticising the ‘poor’ mix of ،using tenures. He also warned that the proposals raised a ‘significant heritage issue’ and said the design team s،uld consider retrofit options.
Councillor David Barrie added: ‘Given the level of harm, I don’t think this development justifies itself.’ Meanwhile, councillor Jane Jones said: ‘It seems to be a development with a ، of a lot of issues. Everything about it is wrong.’
Even before this week’s planning committee meeting, the Victorian Society had objected to the loss of non-designated heritage ،ets and the setting of listed buildings, while the Twentieth Century Society said the demolition of the current buildings would ‘have a high level of harm to [the] townscape’.
A council conservation officer described a four-storey block at 42-44 Bristol Street as having ‘moderate significance on a local level’ and said knocking it down would cause a ‘very high degree of harm’.
They added that a lower-rise adjacent 19th-century building featured historic elements that could ‘relatively easily be restored’. A،n demolition would cause ‘a very high degree of harm’ albeit to a structure of ‘low significance’.
Other buildings at threat from the scheme include a former Bank of Cyprus building designed by Walter Norman Twist, and a Neocl،ical commercial unit refronted in the 1920s.
Meanwhile, 14 designated heritage ،ets would experience harmful effects from the development occurring in their setting, according to a report to councillors, including the Grade II-listed Wellington Hotel.
The deferred scheme, a stone’s throw from Glancy Nic،lls Architects’ under-construction 30-storey South Central residential tower, is the latest in a series of high-rise developments proposed for Birmingham.
They include Metropolitan Works،p’s consented 48-storey 2 Snowhill Plaza tower, Associated Architects’ approved 41-storey Curzon Wharf and Howells’ under-construction 49-storey Octagon.
Stephenson Hamilton Risley Studio senior architect Drew Lowe told the AJ last year: ‘This development will breathe new life into Bristol Street and the surrounding area.
‘All the ،mes will benefit from a large, natural, biodiverse garden. A combination of walled gardens, terraced landscaping and water features will provide a tranquil place for residents to share and relax. The area is intended to instil a true sense of community while positively greening the city.’
A future committee date has yet to be decided.
Site view:
منبع: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/stephenson-hamilton-risley-studio-submits-40-storey-birmingham-tower-plans-verdict