A historic Birmingham city centre pub with a landmark location could be set for a makeover and revival under plans submitted to the city council.
The 1897 built Woodman, in New Canal Street, has been closed since 2009, but now with the newly opened Eastside City Park completed and plans being put in place for the High Speed Rail station nearby it could be set for redevelopment.
Developers want to give the historic pub a rooftop terrace, an external staircase and create new bay window to offer views of the park, as well as carry out a major renovation inside.But the pub is Grade II listed, meaning that any alterations to the outside require the support of English Heritage, and must not affect the over all historic character of the building.
The development is a joint venture between Linford Developing Heritage, which is also working on plans for the renovation of the derelict Christopher Wray Lighting Factory at Eastside, and Birmingham Inns, which runs the Wellington pub in Bennetts Hill.
A statement to the planning department said: “This will be a sensitive restoration and remodelling of this fine building with the assurance of high quality repair and long term stewardship and maintenance.”
The revived Woodman will be on a new Curzon Square along with Curzon Street Station, which is set to become the Ikon2 modern art museum.
According to a submission to the planning department, what was once a popular pub for local industrial workers could now become an attraction for rail travellers and visitors to the park and Eastside museums, as well as engage with the Digbeth community.
Architect and member of Birmingham’s Conservation and Heritage Panel Joe Holyoak said he is concerned that the panel gets to take a close look at the proposals.
He said: “The current application to make changes to the Grade II listed Woodman pub will have significant effects upon the appearance, both internally and externally, of one of the city’s best historic pubs.
“It is a pub which stands next to a Grade I listed building, which has a key relationship to the new Eastside Park (a relationship which will be changed as a result of the changes proposed), and which is affected by highway changes currently proposed by the HS2 development.”
