Less than 24 hours after the launch of Birmingham's Big City Plan, preparatory work has begun for the demolition of a landmark tower block, to be removed as part of the Birmingham Gateway project.

The project will transform New Street station into an iconic gateway to Birmingham with more space, better facilities and improved accessibility for passengers.

Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council commented: "The redevelopment of New Street Gateway will not only provide the city with a truly world class station, but also open up a hugely important area of the city centre to regeneration, job creation and growth.

"People can see for themselves major regeneration work taking place in the city right now – proving the Big City Plan is about far more than ambition, it is about delivery. As projects such as New Street and the Library of Birmingham take shape before our eyes, excitement is growing – as people can really begin to feel how our city is being transformed."

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Stephenson Tower has been a city landmark for over 40 years and was constructed on top of the existing station when it was rebuilt in the 1960s.

Demolition will pave the way for a new south entrance to the station, improving connections across the city and allowing a significant regeneration of the area to the south, one of the key proposals outlined in the Big City Plan.

Andrew Skidmore, Principal Scheme Sponsor for Network Rail commented: "The start of work to demolish Stephenson Tower is an important moment for the project and we’ve planned our work carefully so that we cause minimal disruption to both passengers and local residents."

To complete the demolition safely, the project team will construct a tower crane and encapsulate the structure in scaffolding. Work to demolish the tower brick by brick will start in late November and complete next summer. Network Rail is also working with Birmingham City Council to provide a viable development opportunity on the south side of the station.

The Gateway project is funded by Network Rail, Birmingham City Council, Advantage West Midlands and Centro.

(CD)