Infirmary Wharf, Birmingham submitted for planning

e*SCAPE Urbanists have been quietly working on proposals for the City Hospital site on the edge of Birmingham City Centre for the Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.

e*SCAPE, supporting GVA's Birmingham office have submitted an outline planning application for a high density residential-led mixed use development of circa 700 high density homes in the form of semi detached houses, townhouses and apartments with community/commercial facilities at ground floor. The main Infirmary Building is to be retained and converted to high quality apartments.

The scheme is outward looking with long frontages onto the Birmingham Old Line Canal and Dudley Road, developing a new network of streets and lanes which open up a part of the city to public access which has been secure and walled for more than 160 years.

The proposals look at both the public realm and enclosing architecture in equal measure, using them and the existing local context to inform the character and form of the development. This scheme is truly a place-led and site specific design response.

Whilst the proposals are high density, a strong network of open spaces and avenues create a connected green infrastructure network, which also provides space for the incorporation of a SuDS management train.

The green infrastructure and landscape strategy for the site has been led by PGLA landscape architects in the support of e*SCAPE's masterplan, along with the development of a Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

Mayer Brown provided the environmental, transport and engineering consultancy advice tot he design team.

e*SCAPE and the wider team have worked closely with Birmingham City Council as the proposals have been developed to create a new and integrated edge of city centre neighbourhood.