Hampton Trust and Carlton Communications plan to build the largest tower building in Birmingham and a £200m leisure complex under a glazed canopy in the city centre. The 2.43ha (six acre) development is billed as the largest city centre leisure complex in the UK.
It will consist of 92,900 sq m (1m sq ft) of leisure and office space around several landmark buildings opposite the International Convention Centre. The tower will include a new Holiday Inn hotel and private apartments. The existing four-star hotel is likely to be demolished. It is hoped high tech leisure companies will want to take space similar to London’s Trocadero.
The complex will be based around the theme of Canals. The site takes in the former TSV headquarters which is vacant and Alpha Tower. Birmingham council owns the freehold of the site. A planning application is likely to be lodged in July.
- Financial Times 28/02/97 page 26
