A major development opportunity at Birmingham’s New Street station is set to come to market later this month.
Birmingham city council is to launch a search for a development partner to transform Ladywood House, an outdated 1960s-built office block above New Street station.
The council plans to sell its 150-year long lease of the vacant 102,000 sq ft building this summer.
Peter Jones, director of property at the council, said: “Our present thoughts are that it could remain as an office block, or possibly be converted to a budget hotel. We’re gearing up to put it on the market at the end of June/July.”
Leisure group Whitbread had previously submitted plans to create a 335-bedroom hotel on the site, but cancelled the proposal in June 2009 because of the economy.
The project would sit alongside the council’s and Network Rail’s £600m redevelopment plans for New Street station.
The larger New Street project includes the upgrade of the Pallasades shopping centre above the station and a £100m, 250,000 sq ft John Lewis department store. Plans for the store were first revealed by EG last summer (14 August 2010, p19).
The New Street redevelopment is scheduled for completion in 2015.
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
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