£45m scheme set to revive derelict site

A site that has stood vacant for 12 years in Birmingham is set for a £45 million transformation after plans for 165 new homes were approved.

Birmingham City Council’s planning committee has unanimously backed Wavensmere Homes’ redevelopment of the former Clarendon Suites site in Edgbaston.

The 3.43-acre site off Clarendon Road and Hagley Road will feature 75 three-bedroom townhouses alongside 90 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Plans also include public and private communal open space, children’s play areas and extensive landscaping, with mature trees along Hagley Road retained.

Designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects, with Tetra Tech acting as planning consultant and coordinating public consultation, the scheme will feature three distinct character areas reflecting both Edgbaston’s traditional architecture and its more urban Hagley Road setting.

Officials say the development will also incorporate Future Homes Standard energy features, with an EPC A rating targeted, alongside additional planting and biodiversity improvements.

The site was previously home to the John Madin-designed Clarendon Suites, which opened in 1971 and hosted conferences, exhibitions and banquets before closing in 2014.

Ben Clarke, development director for Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes, which currently has around 3500 homes either under construction or progressing through planning, said: “We are pleased that Birmingham City Council’s planning committee shares our vision for this prominent site and has approved our plans. 

“Our design ethos places a significant emphasis on placemaking, intricately pairing requirements of modern living with the timeless charm of Edgbaston’s grand residences. 

“This development will help to address the significant unmet demand for family houses in Edgbaston, while transforming a prominent derelict site in the process.

“Clarendon has been designed to overcome various brownfield site complexities and it will greatly enhance the street scene along Hagley Road, Clarendon Road and Stirling Road. 

“We look forward to working with the Council to process the pre-commencement conditions efficiently, so that we can start work on site as soon as possible.”

Following a significant fire in 2019, the building was demolished and the site cleared in 2022.

Jacob Bonehill, planning director for Tetra Tech, added: “This is a fantastic scheme in a sustainable location with great public transport connections. 

“The future residents will have access to a shared communal garden at the heart of the development, with the houses also benefitting from private terraces. 

“These innovative design features ensure that Wavensmere’s development plans will make efficient use of this long vacant brownfield site.”  

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