Bluecastle Capital has submitted plans for a 53-storey build-to-rent (BTR) development in Birmingham city centre.
CGI of Bluecastle Capital’s 42 High Street Birmingham BTR tower
Designed by Squire & Partners, the development would include 729 BTR homes comprising a range of one-, two- and three-bedroom units with residential amenities, plus more than 3,700 sq ft of commercial ground-floor space.
Proposals also include approximately 18,000 sq ft of new landscaping with new lighting and public art as well as new active frontages. The public realm has been designed by landscape architect Layer Studio working alongside Squire & Partners.
The development is located at 42 High Street Birmingham, next to Moor Station and the future HS2 Curzon Street station. Around 51% of the space will be publicly accessible.
Bluecastle bought the site, which previously served as Marks & Spencer’s Birmingham central store, for an undisclosed sum in April 2025.
Ed Williams, chief executive of Bluecastle Capital, said the project marked a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a landmark residential development at the heart of one of the UK’s fastest-growing cities”.
He added: “Our vision is to deliver an outstanding BTR scheme that sets a new benchmark for quality, sustainability and urban living. Birmingham’s connectivity, culture and momentum make it a key city for our long-term strategy, and the site’s strategic location next to the HS2 terminus makes it a critical piece in the city’s regeneration puzzle.”
Bettina Brehler, partner at Squire & Partners, added: “42 High Street Birmingham represents an exciting opportunity to transform a long-vacant landmark site opposite the future HS2 Curzon Street into a new eastern gateway to Birmingham, which would give back 51% of the site as public realm and deliver 729 new homes.
“The design responds to its civic context through materiality and rhythm, with a striking setback colonnade that grounds the building at human scale and widens Carrs Lane to create a welcoming pedestrian route from HS2 into the heart of the city centre.”
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