Redevelopment plans lodged for site of former Masonic lodge

Plans have been submitted for the proposed £45 million redevelopment of a former Masonic lodge on the Hagley Road in Birmingham.

If approved by council planners, the scheme could provide 165 new houses and apartments at the Clarendon Suites site in Edgbaston.

Designed by famed architect John Madin, the structure near Hagley Road was a well-known events venue until its closure in 2014, staging conferences and exhibitions in addition to its use as the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire Masons.

But it was demolished after a fire in early 2019.

Wavensmere Homes is now proposing a total of 75 three-bedroom townhouses and 90 one and two-bedroom apartments for the site, off Clarendon Road and Hagley Road.

It said design changes had been made to initial drawings following a public consultation exercise and three distinct character zones were now proposed.

“The first zone draws reference from the traditional housing along Clarendon Road,” it said. “The central zone features more unique, contemporary housing styles.

“The third zone comprises a six-storey apartment building fronting Hagley Road, which is designed to establish its own identity and respond to the scale and character of the urban setting.”

James Dickens, managing director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “Having seen this prominent site lay vacant for so long, we are very pleased to lodge our detailed planning application, which has the support of local people and stakeholders, and is commercially viable to deliver.

“We have been working alongside officers from Birmingham City Council on the collective approach and housing requirements for Clarendon since the start of the year. “While there is no scarcity of recent development along Hagley Road, so many sectors are not currently catered for.”

He added: “We are pleased that our concept of delivering three bedroom houses to suit young families has been so welcomed during the public consultation process.”

Adam McPartland, managing director of Glancy Nicholls Architects, said: “In crafting our vision for this contemporary housing scheme, we’ve drawn inspiration from the rich historical tapestry of the area.

“Our design ethos – alongside the collaborative vision of Wavensmere Homes – places a significant emphasis on exemplary placemaking, intricately weaving modernity with the timeless charm of Edgbaston’s grand residences.”