Plans for new £360m skyscraper scheme in Birmingham approved

One of the three towers would stand at 172m (564 ft), taller than Birmingham's current tallest building, the BT Tower

Plans for a £360m skyscraper development creating one of Birmingham's tallest buildings have been approved by councillors.

The Curzon Wharf scheme, at Dartmouth Circus, will see three towers providing student accommodation, "co-living" flats and office space.

Developer Woodbourne Group said it would be a world-first in carbon-neutral developments.

Councillors unanimously voted through amended plans on Thursday.

The latest proposals include a condition requiring at least 51% of residential units to have two or three bedrooms, and the availability of affordable homes has been increased from three to five per cent, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The scheme, a short distance from the new Curzon Street HS2 railway station, would create about 1,000 jobs, developers have said, with the tallest building standing at 172m (564 ft).

Birmingham's current tallest structure, the BT Tower, is 152m (498ft). However, the city council has given the 100 Broad Street residential tower block planning permission, and that is set to be 193m tall (633ft).

Tani Dulay, chief executive of Woodbourne Group, said: "We've worked hard to reach this point and it is incredibly satisfying to stand on the brink of delivering such a world class development for a city I'm proud to call home."

Developers need to "help power the economic recovery" through investment and job creation and "acting as a catalyst to further success", he added.

The current canal-side site at Dartmouth Circus of 1960s-era industrial units would be demolished as part of the plans.

It is thought almost 70% of carbon emissions could be cut across the three blocks by making them highly energy efficient and using renewable energy to power them, developers say.

Paul Kitson, director of place, prosperity, and sustainability at Birmingham City Council, said the scheme was an "exciting project for Birmingham and builds upon our ambition to be a greener and more sustainable city".