The HS2 rail company has been given the green light to restore Birmingham鈥檚 crumbling Curzon Street station into a cafe, exhibition space and offices.
The 180-year-old Grade I-listed station building, which is the oldest surviving railway terminal in the world, has been derelict for years - but will now be restored in what is the first major in the city.
Planning committee member Peter Douglas Osborn (Cons, Weoley) welcomed the development said: 鈥淭his is not just a treasure for Birmingham, but a national treasure. It鈥檚 a gem.鈥
The future of the building, which was constructed in 1838, had been in doubt until it was included in the wider plans for the new HS2 station at Curzon Street.
It will become a visitor centre and education hub which will be shared by Historic England, Birmingham City University and HS2 Ltd. Ownership of the building will be retained by Birmingham City Council.
The university will take over the first floor as a creative business centre and the second floor will become a new office for Historic England. Finally HS2 will use the ground floor exhibition space to display progress on the new high speed rail line which is due to be completed in 2026.
Following planning permission work will begin on the conversion in November and is due to be completed next summer. After that work is set to begin on the seven-platform station alongside.
HS2 programme director Mike Lyons said: 鈥淭he arrival of HS2 is driving growth and regeneration right across the Midlands and it鈥檚 fitting that we are playing a leading role in restoring the oldest railway terminus in the world whilst simultaneously revolutionising rail travel for future generations on the very same spot.
鈥淩edeveloping the former Curzon Street station building was never part of HS2鈥檚 remit, but we committed to working with Historic England, Birmingham City University and Birmingham City Council to try and make it happen.鈥
Council leader John Clancy said it will link Birmingham鈥檚 鈥榠llustrious railway past with its bright future鈥.
Veryan Heal of Historic England added: 鈥淐urzon Street Station was at the cutting edge of railway technology in the 1830s and it will be playing a cutting edge role again 鈥 at the centre of a new railway fit for the twenty-first century. This amazing building was the world鈥檚 first mainline passenger railway connected to London and today it still represents the civic pride and ambition of the city of Birmingham.鈥
The original Curzon Street station was designed by Philip Hardwick, the London-born architect synonymous with railway stations and warehouses, and matches his other famous work, Doric Arch at Euston Square.
