A property investment group says it wants to create a new mixed-use development on the site of former Birmingham City Council offices.
Sama Investments acquired 1 Lancaster Circus from the authority late last year and has now revealed it plans to turn the site into a "memorable place to live, work, stay, study and visit".
The Solihull-based real estate investment manager has not announced many details about its proposals for the plot opposite the Old Fire Station but reports suggest it could look to build a 64-storey tower. It is expected to entail the demolition of the old council building.
The project will be called 'Perryian Works', a nod to the location's previous home to Perry & Co, the manufacturer of pens, chains and bicycles.
A planning application has not yet been submitted for the 1.3-acre site which sits in the historic Gun Quarter, an area which has become an epicentre for new student accommodation developments in recent years.
In a statement, Sama Investments described the project as its "most ambitious scheme to date".
"Last year, we secured 1 Lancaster Circus with plans to turn these now surplus-to-requirement council offices into a memorable place to live, work, stay, study and visit," it said.
"This historic part of the city is undergoing major regeneration. Long-term, this will include the removal of the A38 flyover resulting in improved connectivity and green spaces for the area and city.
"Sama's project involves creating a new iconic landmark for this central location and our team have dipped into the site's history to give the development its name.
"Each section of this historic site that Sama develops will reflect elements of this vital heritage. We will be sharing more details of our plans in the coming weeks."
The building, which is bordered by Lancaster Street and Staniforth Street, was initially put on the market in spring 2021.
It was said at the time that the decision was prompted by the council moving to more staff working from home, saving the authority around £1.4 million a year in costs to keep the site operational.
Staff in the council's architecture, engineering, building, finance, environmental and consumer services departments have been based there.
