Almost 1,000 apartments are set to be built as part of a major new mixed-use scheme on vacant land in Birmingham city centre.
Student accommodation, commercial space and a food hall are also proposed at the Goods Station project on land in Holliday Street next to the city's iconic Mailbox complex.
Cheshire-based property and business services group Vita is leading the scheme, having acquired the site last year from government-owned development company London & Continental Railways.
The project has been going through a design and consultation process since then and now firm details of the proposals are available as a planning application has been lodged with the city council.
The scheme comprises five separate buildings on the four-acre site of ten, 19, 29, 39 and 49 storeys, with the tallest two at the Suffolk Street Queensway end containing a combined 868 apartments.
The 29-storey block will have 720 bedrooms for students, to be operated under Vita's own House of Social brand, with a 17,000 sq ft food hall open to the public at lower levels.
This will aim to celebrate Birmingham's food scene with independent kitchens showcasing their work.
There will be 221 serviced apartments in the 19-storey building and a restaurant at lower levels and finally a further 122 apartments and a retail unit will be in the ten-storey block.
Some of the planned amenities across the buildings include a swimming pool, cinema rooms, private dining areas, co-working space, gym and cycle storage.
The quintet of buildings will surround a central garden and a walkway open to the public which connects the Navigation Street and Holliday Street sides of the development site.
Commonly known as Axis Square, the land was used as a railway depot in the 1920s which has inspired the new project's name of Goods Station.
for an office-led development but, despite securing consent for some redevelopment, no work was carried out other than
Goods Station has been designed by architecture practice SimpsonHaugh with planning consultancy from Turley.
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Vita Group estimates that the construction phase will create around 485 jobs and contribute circa £245 million to the local economy while a further 185 roles will be created on site post-completion.
It said the scheme should generate £2.4 million additional council tax for the city and add £7.8 million to Birmingham's economy annually. Work is due to start in autumn next year should the project win consent.
Vita Group's development director Jon Weston said: "Over the past two years, we've been working closely with Birmingham City Council, key stakeholders and the local community to shape the future of this key strategic site, completely transforming a vacant brownfield site into a new, sustainable urban neighbourhood.
"The Goods Station has the opportunity to be an important catalyst for change in the city, creating new homes and jobs, while adding to the city's expanding cultural and hospitality sector creating a new vibrant neighbourhood with significant social and economic benefits."
