Plans approved to repurpose Birmingham's former John Lewis store

Drum will replace Birmingham's former John Lewis store in Grand Central

Plans to transform Birmingham's former flagship John Lewis store have been unanimously approved by councillors.

The four-storey development, called Drum, is set to include offices, a gym, food market, bar and restaurant, as well as a roof garden and events space.

The lot in Grand Central, above New Street Station, has been vacant since the department store closed in 2020.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said developer Hammerson wanted to keep much of the original structure.

It is hoped that work will start later this year and the new venue will be complete by 2025.

"The site occupies a prominent position within the city, and there is a strong desire to see this building repurposed and bought back into active and viable use," a Hammerson representative said.

"The proposed development seeks to repurpose what is currently an existing vacant building within the city centre and to bring it back into viable economic use as a high-quality and attractive building with ancillary uses which are considered in keeping with and complementary to the site's surroundings."