Birmingham approves Queen’s Hospital Close development

The redevelopment and refurbishment of Queen’s Hospital listed buildings, alongside new building works, will bring forward 759 student bed spaces and 189 apartments for private rent.Birmingham City Council has granted a resolution to approve a full planning permission to McLaren Property and Aventicum Real Estate (owned by Swiss bank UBS) for the development of Queen’s Hospital Close on a canal side site to the southwest of the city centre.The West Listed building will be refurbished to house commercial and amenity facilities for students and the wider area. Around the building will be new public realm and a tree-lined avenue.The East Listed building will be refurbished to contain 52 studio apartments while the new purpose builder student accommodation (PBSA) buildings of 707 bedsits across 31 storeys will replace the current provision, which is considered to be outdated and no longer suitable for the student market.Set back from the student tower block will be new seven- and 10 storey build-to-rent apartment blocks alongside the canal.