A vacant basement in one of Birmingham's most prominent office buildings is set to become the latest to house a new restaurant.

The plans would see the space under One Colmore Row transformed into an underground restaurant or café, making it one of the first things travellers see as they exit Snow Hill station.

Owner Amber Real Estate Investments is behind the redevelopment which would bring to life an unused but prime location in the Colmore Business District.

No occupier is lined up yet to take the unit, which will count Waitrose as its next door neighbour, but it is hoped work will start this year and be completed by Easter 2017.

It is the latest in a flurry of stories about new restaurant openings in the city's business district (see grid below) which are hoping to tap into the wave of corporations expected to take up residence in the various office projects currently under development.

The proposals for One Colmore Row include a transparent glass pavilion with a new lift and stairway which "creates a theatrical showpiece", according to the newly submitted planning application.

Another CGI shows the view greeting travellers leaving Snow Hill station
Another CGI shows the view greeting travellers leaving Snow Hill station

Digbeth-based K4 Architects, which led the conversion of the former Central Fire Station to become student flats, has designed the project, saying it was an opportunity to create a striking new entrance from the square.

It will feed into a larger, long-term vision for Snow Hill Square and Colmore Row which was unveiled in May and is aiming to make this part of the city centre more welcoming and friendly to pedestrians.

Rob Valentine is vice-chairman of the Colmore Business Improvement District (BID) and chairman of 'Outstanding Places', a working group set up to with Birmingham City Council and Transport for West Midlands to improve the Snow Hill Square.

He said: "Colmore BID supports this imaginative project.

"The addition of an underground restaurant to our partnership project to improve Snow Hill Square, complete with a glass pavilion-style access, is just the kind of high-quality feature that will help transform this part of the business district.

"With the development of the Snowhill estate, we are gradually seeing the aspirations of the Snow Hill Masterplan to turn a previously neglected part of our commercial cityscape into an excellent commercial, hospitality and mixed use destination."

The Snow Hill Masterplan was first revealed last year and contains a 20-year vision to turn the area around the station into a hub for financial and professional services with new residential accommodation and public space.