History

The first structure to reach a height of 100 metres was the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower, constructed in 1908 and located in the Edgbaston area of the city. It remains the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world.^[13]

High-rise construction in Birmingham did not begin until the post war redevelopment of the 1960s and 1970s, when more than 25 commercial buildings taller than 50 metres were erected within the city centre and westwards along Broad Street to Five Ways and Hagley Road. Two further structures over 100 metres were built during this period – the 152-metre BT Tower, which remains the tallest structure in Birmingham, albeit at a reduced height,^{[lower-alpha 1]} and the 100-metre, Grade II listed Alpha Tower. Other notable high-rise office buildings included Quayside Tower and Metropolitan House, both designed by John Madin and since refurbished. This era also saw more than 150 residential tower blocks of between 12 and 32 storeys built in clusters around the periphery of the city centre and throughout its suburbs.^[15] The majority of these Brutalist buildings were of limited architectural merit and have since been demolished, although some examples remain.^[16]

High-rise development slowed during the 1980s and 1990s, with few significant proposals emerging, but the turn of the 21st century saw a renewed interest in constructing tall buildings in central Birmingham. Completed in 2006, the 122-metre 10 Holloway Circus became the tallest habitable building in the city, while the Brindleyplace canalside development yielded a cluster of high-rise office buildings adjacent to the International Convention Centre and Birmingham Indoor Arena.

However, in the wake of the September 11 attacks, regulations imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Birmingham City Council's own 'High Places' planning policy framework restricted new buildings to a maximum height of around 120 metres, stymieing a number of appreciably taller proposals.^[17][18] These included the 245-metre Arena Central Tower, which at the time was set to become the tallest skyscraper in the United Kingdom. A number of subsequent proposals, including revised plans for a 152-metre V-shaped building at Arena Central, the 201-metre Regal Tower, and the 130-metre twin towers proposed for the New Street Station Gateway Plus project, succumbed to the global financial crisis and were either scaled back or scrapped.^[19][20]

Consequently, Birmingham's most iconic 21st century buildings, including the Selfridges Building, Grand Central Station and the Library of Birmingham, are under 100 metres tall.

Present and future developments

In recent years the City Council has sought to encourage large-scale development, and a raft of tall buildings have been approved for construction across the City Core and all six of Birmingham's City Centre Quarters – Eastside, Digbeth, Westside and Ladywood, Southside and Highgate, the Jewellery Quarter and St George and St Chad. These developments include the first three skyscrapers in Birmingham and will form a number of tall clusters across the city centre.

Already home to some of Birmingham's tallest buildings, the City Core will see several tall developments in the coming years, including the 155-metre Octagon tower at the Paradise redevelopment site in the city's Civic Heart, which is currently under construction. When completed, Octagon will become the world's tallest octagonally-shaped residential building.^[21] Octagon will be near neighbour to the newly completed 103 Colmore Row (108 metres), which is the tallest dedicated office building to be constructed outside of London since Alpha Tower was completed in 1973.^[22] To the east of the Historic Colmore Business District, Birmingham's Retail Core is set to be reshaped by Hammerson's mixed-use Martineau Galleries scheme, incorporating a third building in excess of 100 metres in height.^[23]

In Westside and Ladywood, Moda Living's 132-metre Mercian residential tower was completed in 2022 and became the tallest habitable building in Birmingham. It could be surpassed by the 145-metre Essington residential skyscraper which, if built, would become the tallest building in the Broad Street cluster. Other significant residential schemes around Broad Street and Brindleyplace include 111-metre Cortland Broad Street, 102-metre Bank Tower II and the proposed 100 Broad Street (c.100m), while Axis (100 metres) will extend the densification of commercial buildings around Centenary Square.^[24][25]

The Eastside district will become home to One Eastside, a 155-metre residential skyscraper which is due for completion in 2024 and will form part of the gateway to Birmingham's new HS2 railway station at Curzon Street.^[26] This tower will be joined by two more approved residential towers – the 124-metre tower at Glasswater Locks and 111-metre Exchange Square tower, which is currently under construction.^[27][28] Extending outwards from Birmingham's Knowledge Quarter, the £360m Curzon Wharf masterplan, intended to be the world's first net zero carbon mixed-use development, includes proposals for two more tall buildings, one being a skyscraper rising to 172 metres.^[29]

To the South East of the City Core, swathes of Digbeth are scheduled to be redeveloped, with 113-metre Boerma Tower under construction and towers including the 146-metre Tower Leaf and 102-metre Upper Trinity Street Tower also approved.^[30][31][32] A 32-storey mixed-use tower is planned to anchor the vast Smithfield site,^[33] which will link Digbeth to the Southside and Highgate district, and another cluster of approved high-rises in and around the city's Gay Village and Chinese Quarter.^[34][35][36] For nearby Smallbrook Queensway, plans have been submitted for a series of three towers up to 180-metres in height, with up to seven more tall buildings expected to transform the area between here and Holloway Circus in the forthcoming years.^[37]

Meanwhile, to the north west of the City Core, Moda Living's 126-metre residential tower on Great Charles Street, which is under construction, will form a landmark gateway to St Paul's Square and the Jewellery Quarter, while at the same time marking the beginning of a high-rise convergence with the Snow Hill Commercial District.^[38] Here, plans have been submitted for 2 Snowhill Plaza, a 48-storey residential-led tower which is set to become one of the largest Build to Rent (BTR) schemes in the country.^[39]

If all future approved, proposed and emergent projects come to fruition, Birmingham's skyline will comprise more than 500 tall buildings and structures, including nine skyscrapers above 150 metres and a further 31 habitable towers above 100 metres.

≥100 metres

This list ranks all complete and topped out buildings and free-standing structures in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area that stand at least 100 metres (328 ft) tall, based on standard height measurements. An equals sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. Buildings that have been demolished are not included.

Updated: December 2023

50–99 metres

This list ranks all complete and topped out buildings and free-standing structures in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area that stand between 50 metres (164 ft) and 99 metres (325 ft) tall, based on standard height measurements. An equals sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. Buildings that have been demolished are not included.

Updated January 2023

35–49 metres

This list ranks selected buildings and free-standing structures^{[lower-alpha 2]} in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area that stand between 35 metres (115 ft) and 49 metres (161 ft) tall, based on standard height measurements. An equals sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings.

Updated December 2023