Plans for 'tallest office scheme outside London' at old NatWest Tower

New plans for the tallest office scheme being built outside London at the old NatWest Tower were resubmitted to the council.

Sterling Property Ventures and Rockspring were seeking permission to demolish the tower and build a £60 million, 26-storey, office block.

The building at 103 Colmore Row, which will stand at 346ft and more than 800ft above sea level when it is completed in 2018, will create 500 construction jobs and house 2,000 workers.

Proposals for a steel, aluminium and glazed structure came after Birmingham City Council planners had previously deferred an application to knock down the John Madin building without seeing what was replacing it.

New images reveal Goodman plans for Birmingham's Eastside

The future for a vast chunk of Birmingham city centre became clearer in June as new graphics images of the Eastside Locks scheme were unveiled.

Computer-generated images of the Goodman development bordering the HS2 Curzon Street station showed drastic changes for a previously run-down part of the city.

The 13-acre site will be home to one of the largest mixed-use schemes in the city and work had already started at this stage on canalside schemes including a new student block.

Wider proposals are for retail, leisure and business facilities - the latter of which is boosted by enterprise zone status.

Centenary Square redesign winner revealed

An Edinburgh architect won the competition to redesign Birmingham's Centenary Square with a scheme which included trees, a water feature and tall lighting columns.

Graeme Massie Architects was chosen from the shortlisted five entries for a design which judges said had a "timeless simplicity" and would be flexible enough to allow the square to be used for a wide range of public events.

The design competition, run by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Landscape Institute on behalf of the city council, attracted more than 200 entries from around the world.

The Graeme Massie design was described as multi-dimensional with a ceiling of lights which judges said would be stunning when viewed from the Library of Birmingham's terrace garden.

Council puts more NEC assets on the market

Birmingham City Council announced it wanted to sell its interest in two major hotel buildings on the NEC site just months after it raised more than £300 million in the NEC Group sale.

Having kept its interests in the land where the Hilton and Crowne Plaza hotels stood at the time of the sale in January, it then decided to dispose of the freehold in a separate deal.

The hotels were not expected to be affected by any deal.

The council's deputy leader Ian Ward said the decision to sell was part of a continual process of looking at city council properties.

Former Birmingham regeneration chief Clive Dutton dies

The former head of regeneration in Birmingham who worked on projects such as The Cube and Library of Birmingham died aged 62 in June.

Clive Dutton OBE was a well-known figure within Birmingham's business community during his time as director of regeneration and planning for Birmingham City Council - a role he left in 2009 to move to London to work on the 2012 Olympic regeneration legacy.

He also helped to re-shape the regeneration of west Belfast following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement by producing the 'Dutton Report'.

Couple behind Prince of Wales in Moseley are UK's top licensees

The husband and wife team behind popular Moseley pub The Prince of Wales was named the UK's best licensees.

The British Institute of Innkeeping Licensee of the Year Award for 2015 was given to Keith and Diane Marsden who rose above the rest for a series of innovations which judges said created a unique atmosphere.

The Moseley village pub, which is known for its large beer garden, boasts a cocktail bar, alongside cigar and wine sheds.

Anger at demolition of one of city's oldest buildings after fire

One of Birmingham's oldest buildings was almost entirely demolished sparking anger from conservationists and historians.

The University of Birmingham tore down the oldest parts of the Northfield Manor House in June - a year after it was gutted by fire.

Only modern extensions remain of the 18th century building. Conservationists urged the university to save the little that was left and restore the 300-year-old building.

They watched with horror as much of the historic building was knocked down when demolition crews moved in.

Property chief David Bucknall dies during Ironman training

One of Birmingham's best-known business figures collapsed and died while in training on his bike for an Ironman triathlon.

David Bucknall, aged 76, a "workaholic" and fitness fanatic who was still playing for Moseley Rugby Club's first team in his 40s, died after falling from his bike in the Warwickshire countryside.

He had enjoyed a hugely successful business career in the West Midlands, retiring in 2012 after more than 50 years at the helm at property and construction practice Rider Levett Bucknall.

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Review of Year 2015 - March

Review of Year 2015 - April

Review of Year 2015 - May