Consultation launched for Martineau Place

Plans to demolish Martineau Place for what could become Birmingham’s tallest tower will go out for public consultation next month.

Henley Investment Management & investment firm Sixth Street lodged a pre-application request to the city council in February for the 2.7-acre shopping centre plot, linking High Street and Corporation Street.

Martineau Place was built in the late 1960’s, but significantly redeveloped as a retail-led complex in 2001. Henley and Sixth Street purchased the site in 2021.

Regeneration proposals for the site, which include up to 1,500 homes and 280,000 sq ft of office and retail space, formed a central pillar of the “Central Heart” regeneration scheme showcased by the city council at MIPIM in March.

Now, further details on the planned development will be released to the public at a consultation event on 16 July, as the developer prepares an outline planning application, which is due to be submitted later this year.

Martineau Place was built in the 1960’s – but significantly redeveloped in 2001. Credit: Curran2, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The full consultation website for the scheme will also launch at 10am on 16 July.

Pre-application documents submitted earlier this year suggested parts of the scheme could reach up to 60-storeys, snatching the crown of Birmingham’s tallest tower from the Octagon and One Eastside.

“The proposals re-imagine Martineau Place as a new city centre destination, helping to connect HS2’s Curzon Street Station, Cathedral Square and the Colmore Business District,” said a spokesperson for Henley and Sixth Street.

“The scheme will help unlock the wider regeneration opportunities on Curzon Street and in the city centre, supporting new jobs, investment and economic growth.

Henley IM’s managing director Jay Squier gave an update on the company’s Martineau Place plans at M-RES last week. Credit: Place Media Group

“As a central pillar of Birmingham City Council’s Central Heart vision, which is expected to deliver around 5,000 new homes and create 8,000 new jobs, Martineau Place will serve as a vital catalyst for regional transformation.”

• The public engagement event will be held on 16 July at the former Pep&co at 76-77 Corporation St, between 1pm and 6pm.