Welcome to the consultation website for Whitbread’s proposals for Essington Street, Birmingham.
Whitbread PLC is the owner of Premier Inn with more than 850 hotels and 85,500 rooms across the UK.
As part of plans to reconfigure our network in Birmingham, we are bringing forward proposals to redevelop our Premier Inn on Essington Street and replace the hotel with 546 high-quality new purpose-build student accommodation (PBSA) bedspaces. The hotel trades as the Birmingham City Centre Broad Street hotel.
Helping Birmingham to meet its student accommodation needs
Birmingham City Council has identified a shortfall of over 19,500 student accommodation places across the city.
We have worked to deliver quality proposals that will help to address this identified need by replacing the existing hotel. The site has been chosen as a sustainable and convenient city centre location for delivering PBSA, which is well connected to serve and access Birmingham’s universities.
As well as student bedrooms, our proposals include extensive study space and fully accessible amenity areas which will include and external garden and terraces. Cycle storage will be provided throughout and the hotel’s existing vehicle entrance on Essington Street will be kept in the same place to minimise disruption for neighbours.
We are engaging with local stakeholders and the wider community to introduce the proposals and to ensure that you are kept fully updated.
Find out more - watch our virtual briefing
On Thursday 13th February 2025 at 7pm we will be holding an online webinar to brief the wider community about our proposals and to answer questions. You can sign up here.
The recording of the webinar will be available to view on demand after 13th February.
Overview of our proposals for Essington Street
- 546 high-quality new PBSA bedspaces.
- Our proposals are for a 14-storey new building, carefully designed to complement other properties on Broad Street.
- A BREEAM excellent development which delivers an ‘A’ EPC rating. BREEAM Excellent is a sustainable building certification awarded to developments that deliver the highest environmental standards.
- A Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 10% with all “gain” delivered on-site.
- Whitbread will appoint a trusted partner to operate the accommodation, ensuring high standards for occupants and neighbours alike.
Find out more - watch our virtual briefing
On Thursday 13th February 2025 at 7pm, we held an online webinar to brief the wider community about our proposals and to answer questions.
Please watch a recording of the webinar below. If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of the project team, please get in touch.
Get in touch:
If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of the project team, please contact us on:
Email: [email protected]
1. Do we really need more student accommodation in Birmingham?
Yes. Birmingham City Council identified a city-wide shortfall of 19,684 PBSA bedspaces in November 2024. Our own student need assessment has identified that this shortfall may be closer to 26,000 purpose-built bedspaces. Our proposals for 546 high-quality new bedspaces at Essington Street will help to reduce this shortfall.
2. Why are you proposing to build this at Essington Street?
With 14 Premier Inn hotels in Birmingham, including five locations in the city centre, Birmingham is an important market for Whitbread. As part of plans to reconfigure our network, we are seeking to help the city to meet its identified need for new PBSA by redeveloping the site and replacing the existing hotel with 546 high-quality new PBSA bedspaces.
3. How tall will the proposed new building be?
Our proposals are for a 14-storey new building, carefully designed to complement other properties on Broad Street.
4. How will the new student accommodation be managed?
Whitbread will appoint a trusted partner to operate the accommodation, ensuring high standards for occupants and neighbours alike.
5. Is the proposed student accommodation in a suitable location?
We have chosen to regenerate our Essington Street site as it is a highly sustainable, city centre location. It located close to existing transport networks and will be well connected to Birmingham’s university campuses.
6. What sort of facilities will the new student accommodation have?
We are seeking to deliver 564 high-quality new PBSA bedspaces. These will be supported with generous indoor and outdoor amenity space, gym and resident’s garden. Outside, our aspiration is to regenerate and improve the street scene alongside delivering a 10% net gain in biodiversity. High-quality landscaping will be provided to enhance the neighbourhood.
The need for student accommodation
- Birmingham is the home of five major universities and 90,000 graduates annually.
- Universities in the West Midlands contribute £8.6 billion to the economy and support 67,000 jobs.
- The Birmingham Knowledge Quarter (BKQ) is the fastest growing research and innovation cluster outside of London. It is driven by a collaboration of Birmingham City Council, Aston University, Birmingham City University and private sector partners.
- The future success and expansion of Birmingham’s universities is a key strategic priority for Birmingham City Council’s ‘Our Future City Plan 2045’.
- The number of full-time students in Birmingham grew by 20.7% between 2016/17 and 2021/22. This number is projected to increase by a further 120% between 2021 and 2030 (Student Need Assessment).
Our commitments
Whitbread is positive about Birmingham and is looking to invest. We are always innovating and committed to partnerships.
We are committed to delivering a high-quality design and operational standards following extensive and proactive pre-application discussions with Birmingham City Council.
We are working to help Birmingham meet its identified need for new PBSA at a sustainable, city centre location.
Timescales
After we have consulted with stakeholders and the community, we intend to submit a planning application to Birmingham City Council. We will continue to operate the Broad Street hotel during the planning process for the proposed new development.