Thumbs up for Kier’s 30-storey Arena Central BTR

Plans for two residential towers on the corner of Holliday Street and Bridge Street, spanning 30 and 17 storeys respectively, have been approved by Birmingham City Council.

A total of 526 apartments are included in the development, brought forward by Kier Properties earlier this year, alongside 450,000 sq ft of commercial office space, 200,000 sq ft of retail and food and beverage space, and 3.9 acres of public realm.

The application had been recommended for approval by the city council’s planning officers, before it was given the nod at a committee meeting on 12 November.

Alexandra Conway, managing director for residential regeneration at Kier, said the scheme would forms part of an “important chapter” in the transformation of Arena Central, which has been ongoing since the demolition of Birmingham’s Registry Office in the early 2010s.

“It will deliver 526 high-quality homes in the heart of Birmingham’s business district and help meet growing demand for sustainable city-centre living,” she said.

Two build-to-rent residential towers earmarked for Arena Central have been approved by Birmingham City Council’s planning department. Credit: Kier

“Alongside new homes, the scheme will bring more than 11,000 sq ft of resident facilities, new commercial space and improved public realm to this prominent canal-side location. As the final three phases of this major regeneration project move forward, they will support activity and opportunity for local people and businesses, while adding to the city’s offer for residents, workers and visitors.

“We have worked closely with Birmingham City Council and our project team to develop proposals that respond to their surroundings and are designed for the long term. We look forward to progressing this next phase of Arena Central.”

The scheme was approved despite an objection from HMRC, who raised concerns over privacy for their offices in a neighbouring building.

Birmingham City Council’s planning officers said any potential harm to the setting of nearby heritage assets, including the Grade One-listed Hall of Memory and Gas Street Basin buildings, would be outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme.

A report described the TP Bennett-designed building as a “strong, creative architectural concept”, with a form, scale and mass which is “complementary” of its surroundings.

CBRE provided planning consultancy services for the application.

Documents and plans relating to the application can be found on Birmingham City Council’s planning portal under reference: 2026/01975/PA