Maypole Lane, Birmingham
The site has been used for button manufacturing since at least the 1930s, one of the key industries that helped make Birmingham renowned around the world as the “city of a thousand trades”.
The factory site has a prominent 2 storey brick frontage onto Highters Heath Lane and roundabout with tiled roof, extending back across most of the site, with a series of dilapidated single storey extensions facing onto Maypole Lane.
It is surrounded by 1 and 2 storey houses so the proposed massing must respect the existing two storey building and roof.
The proposal is for 14 no. 1 bed & 2 bed flats along with 14 parking spaces and secure covered cycle parking. The previous designs made several attempts to provide this by a wholesale demolition of the structures across the site except for the grand fronted brick building on Highters Heath Lane and a substantial extension along Maypole Lane.
This approach did not respect the existing building and give it due prominence and created vehicle movements in the rear garden areas, the car dominating the layout to the detriment of the building, it’s occupiers amenity and the neighbours. A new approach was required…
The main building facing Highters Heath Lane is largely retained and provides 5 no. homes on first and second floor with a roof extension.
The new build extension along Maypole, although 2 storeys is intended to respect the massing of the bungalow neighbours here whereby the top floor is clad and presented as roof massing. Underneath is basement parking which relegates most of the parking out of sight. The remainder parking happens on Highters Heath Lane using the existing continuous drop kerb that has allowed on street parking throughout the building’s life and as happens all along both roads as well.
- Categories:
- Live,
- TopHuis,
- Refurb
