Three Birmingham landmarks at risk of ruin as campaigners demand action

Birmingham is a city rich in history, but heritage campaigners are warning some of its most famous landmarks could soon fall into disrepair without urgent restoration. The Victorian Society, which works to preserve Victorian and Edwardian architecture, fears the financial crisis at Birmingham City Council could put many historic buildings in the city at greater risk.

It has called on the council to protect the city's heritage by issuing an Urgent Works Notice to force owners to carry out repair work on neglected buildings of significant historical importance. At the top of the Society's agenda is a Victorian conservatory in Edgbaston, which the group fears will fall in to disrepair without urgent action.

Birmingham City Council said it was 'working with owners' to protect listed buildings and was 'aware of the city's heritage.' The group has issued an urgent warning to protect three city landmarks which they believe are at risk of ruin.

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The Methodist Central Hall

The Methodist Central Hall on Corporation Street is an iconic terracotta structure completed in 1903 by architects Ewen and J. Alfred Harper. In it's time as a church, the hall could host 2,500 people

The Grade II listed hall and its distinctive tower have fallen into disrepair over the years, and it was recently placed on Historic England's 'at risk' register following storm damage. The building has stood empty since 2017 and was once home to the legendary Que club - hugely popular years over the years with artists such as David Bowie, Massive Attack and Daft Punk gracing its iconic stage.

Plans for conversion of Central Hall to a hotel were approved by Birmingham City Council in 2018 but were never implemented. Tim Bridges, Victorian Society conservation officer for Birmingham, said: “Regarding Central Hall we have raised the condition repeatedly since our response to the planning application for hotel conversion in 2018.

"There is plenty of worrying evidence of unlawful entry to the building and its increasingly deteriorating and vandalised condition."

Lying-In Hospital

The Victorian Society has raised concerns regarding the future use of the Grade II former Lying-In Hospital on Broad Street. Now more than 200-years-old, the building was originally built as Islington House in 1814 for Rice Harris.

In the 1870s, it became the Birmingham & Midland Hospital for Sick Children. More recently, the building has been empty and become increasingly dilapidated since the closure of Zara’s Club in 2019.

A planning application for a 42-storey tower over the historic building was refused earlier this year, but the Victorian Society said nothing had been done since to bring the building back into use. Mr Bridges said: "Regarding 80 Broad Street there has been a long planning history of issues about unauthorised works prior to the closure of Zara’s Club in 2019, but since then the building has been vacant and vulnerable.”

The Corinthians, Bristol Road

The Corinthians on 96 Bristol Road is a white stucco villa that sits on the historic Calthorpe Estate. Built in 1850, the glasshouse is now derelict with the neighbouring building occupied by Optimax Laser Eye Clinic.

The conservatory was constructed at the same time as the Crystal Palace in London and even before the world-famous Kew Gardens glasshouses were finished, when such buildings were all the rage for the affluent upper and middle classes. The conservatory would have featured plants such as palms, ferns, and other exotics brought to Britain by Victorian plant hunters.

Mr Bridges said: “Regarding our concerns for the condition of the Conservatory at 96 Bristol Road we wrote to the Council Conservation Officer first in March 2022, then in July 2023, November 2023 and May 2024. An urgent works notice was to be issued in November 2023 but if that happened there has been no result.”