Plans for Birmingham’s tallest office tower advance

A Kuwaiti development firm is moving forward with plans to build Birmingham’s tallest office tower, as part of a £160m scheme.Salhia KSC has detailed plans for two further phases of the Beorma Quarter regeneration scheme in the Digbeth district of the city, next to the Bullring shopping centre.Phase one of the project, which cost over £18m, involved the refurbishment of the listed Cold Store, originally built in 1899, and its conversion into 20,000 sq ft of office space, as well as the construction of a 108-room Adagio aparthotel.The newly announced phases two and three will cost another £140m and feature three new blocks including a 30-storey tower.The overall mixed-use development will provide offices, residential, retail, restaurants, and a hotel. A new public square, Orwell Place, will be created at ground level, surrounded by shops, restaurants and cafés.Construction is due to begin later this year and the scheme is entirely financed by Salhia.