NEW HOME FOR BIRMINGHAM LGBT
Birmingham LGBT, the charity for the city’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people community, is relocating to a new home in Southside District.
The charity has agreed a move to premises in a new development on Lower Essex Street, in the heart of the Gay Village.
Currently based on Holloway Circus, Birmingham LGBT’s new home will occupy more than 5,000 sq ft in a ground floor commercial unit facing a new public square, which will link Hurst Street with Lower Essex Street.
The charity has agreed a 20-year lease on the new premises.
Lower Essex Street Ltd, a subsidiary of Apsley House Capital, together with Gooch Estate, has submitted a planning application to Birmingham City Council for a residential-led, mixed-use scheme of 642 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, plus more than 20,000 sq ft of commercial and amenity space.
On-site amenity facilities will include cycle and car parking, two landscaped courtyards and a roof terrace. A new pedestrian boulevard will also be created, linking Hurst Street and Lower Essex Street.
The scheme, which will be split across three separate blocks, the tallest of which will be 27 storeys high, has been designed by Claridge Architects, which also designed Apsley House Capital’s and Galliard Homes’ adjacent Timber Yard development.
Steph Keeble from Birmingham LGBT said: “Southside has been the home of the LGBT centre for years. However, with the lease on our offices coming to an end and the building potentially being redeveloped we needed to look for new premises.
“As a charity delivering services to the LGBT community we really want to stay in Southside as it’s important we are located within the community. The new purpose-built LGBT centre in Lower Essex Street will mean our future in the area is secure.”
Robin Norstrom, director at Apsley House Capital, said: “Subject to planning approval being granted, this will be our second major residential development in Southside. It’s an area we have a lot of affection for and want to make a positive contribution to, through the provision of high-quality, well-designed homes, public amenity and commercial space.
“Through our involvement in Timber Yard, we have made a lot of strong connections with the local LGBT community and wherever possible we have been keen to support their activities. We were made aware of the charity’s need to find a new home and were only too happy to facilitate the relocation to a more permanent home.”