Demolition decision looms for Birmingham's Ringway Centre

The office block on Smallbrook Queensway was built in the 1960s and now lies empty

Campaigners are preparing to find out if a landmark Birmingham building could be lost as councillors meet to discuss its demolition.

The empty Ringway Centre on Smallbrook Queensway could be turned into three towers made up of apartments, a cinema, nightclub and food and drink outlets.

Plans submitted by Commercial Estates Group (CEG) are set for approval at next week's council meeting.

But groups believe the Brutalist site is of "high heritage significance".

The Birmingham Civic Society, the 20th Century Society and Brutiful Birmingham have all voiced concerns at the plans for the office block, built in the 1960s, saying its loss "will result in the loss of one of the most important buildings of the era in the city".

The campaigners have been calling for it to be repurposed instead of completely flattened.

Popular nightclub Snobs, on the corner of Hurst Street, could be also be at risk if plans were approved, having only relocated there a few years after another area of the city was redeveloped.

Three towers would be built in place of the vacant building, say developers

Under the plans, the new towers would reach 44, 48 and 56 storeys with works split into three phases.

A total of 1,750 flats would be built with spaces for bicycles, lockers and scooters, the developer said.

Birmingham Civic Society said the proposed demolition was "short-sighted".

"Following the loss of similarly important buildings such as Central Library, little remains of this chapter in the city's life, and with the loss of the Ringway, Birmingham will have almost obliterated memory of this time for future generations," a spokesperson said.

The 20th Century Society said the block was of high heritage significance and the site's overall heritage significance "has been undersold and the level of harm that would be caused through the building's total loss downplayed".

Council members will judge the application currently recommended for approval on 28 September.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]