Plans submitted for Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Howells has submitted plans for the transformation and restoration of the Grade-II* listed Birmingham Botanical Gardens, home to the Midland’s finest and largest collection of over 10,000 botanic species.

The Growing our Green Heritage project has been supported by a Stage 1 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, made possible by National Lottery players.

The project will provide a low-carbon, sympathetic reinterpretation of the existing gardens and structure and will deliver a long-term sustainable future for the gardens. By carefully pairing back the layers the design team will improve the visitor experience and facilities.

The 15-acre site is home to heritage assets, including four Victorian glasshouses, which will be restored to reflect their original form and adapted to serve contemporary horticultural needs. Howells are working in collaboration with conservation specialists and historic buildings consultants Donald Insall Associates. Once completed, the project will transform this key heritage asset to align with the city’s Our Future City 2040 plan which aims to create a green, sustainable and walkable city.

Commenting on the plan, Sandeep Shambi, Partner at Howells, explained: “We are delighted to have submitted plans for the Birmingham Botanical Gardens which is one of the last independent botanical gardens in the UK and so it’s vitally important that this important heritage asset is conserved but also given space to develop. We are working in collaboration with their talented team, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, stakeholders and Donald Insall Associates, to help preserve the gardens for future generations and create jobs and opportunities for people in Birmingham.”

Matthew Vaughan, Practice Director at Donald Insall Associates, said: "The Birmingham Botanical Gardens are a landmark not just for their historic buildings but their living collection of rare species from across the globe. Conservation of the glasshouses to respond to these particular heritage considerations will be a key challenge, protecting the historic fabric while enhancing their performance for the needs of the collection within. We look forward realising our client's vision for enhancing the sustainability, accessibility and heritage of the Botanical Gardens for the people of Birmingham and beyond."

Sara Blair-Manning, CEO of Birmingham Botanical Gardens shared: “This is the last chance to save Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The Gardens offer a rich, uniquely biodiverse natural environment, one mile from Birmingham City Centre and we know, through consultation, that they are hugely treasured by the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands. The Gardens need urgent and extensive restoration and repairs and are considered at risk by Historic England. A successful project will mean that The Gardens can continue to connect people with culture, heritage and nature in a large urban metropolis. We are grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for the development monies and look forward to being able to deliver a successful project with Howells and the wider design team.”