Court Collaboration approved for Birmingham’s first skyscraper

Midlands developer Court Collaboration has been given the green light to deliver Birmingham’s first skyscraper at One Eastside. Birmingham City Council’s planning committee followed planning officer recommendations and approved the £160m build-to-rent scheme. Court Collaboration is in talks with Greystar to provide £155m in forward funding to develop its first build-to-rent scheme and the city’s first skyscraper on the site of the former CEAC building next to the HS2 Curzon Street station. It comprises 667 flats in towers rising to 51 storeys or 155m. The development will be the tallest in Birmingham, exceeding previous records set by Moda Living at the 42-storey The Mercian in Broad Street. One Eastside has been designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects. It includes a sky lounge in the tallest tower, as well as flexible working space, meeting areas, yoga and spin studios, a games room and a pavilion building. Construction is expected to cost £118m, with an expected timeline of four years. The approval comes despite initial concerns regarding height from Birmingham Airport. It is a milestone for developers, as Birmingham City Council embraces height in Eastside. Tall towers have traditionally been designated to the sandstone ridge running along Broad Street. However, as institutional investment floods into the city, backing build-to-rent at scale, the city council has supported greater height both in Broad Street as well as typically low rise regions. To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @estatesgazette