Vision of a £160m Paradise for Birmingham

A sweeping outdoor route shaped by modern offices, shops and public spaces will be created to rejuvenate the tired city centre location, under dramatic new plans.

The concrete surroundings of the Central Library, which shut after the new £188 million Library of Birmingham opened last September, will be demolished as part of the revamp.

Paradise Circus, which is home to shops, a pub and and restaurants which be overhauled in a scheme developers described today as a 'one-in-a-lifetime' opportunity.

Visitors will have a clear view from a re-landscaped Chamberlain Square and clock tower, next to Birmingham Town Hall, up through to the Hall of Memory for the first time in decades.

The scheme will take the layout of the the busy thoroughfare back in time, reminiscent of of the area prior to the developments in the 1960s.

Work will begin on the first phase of the multi-million project by May, with more major developments taking place early next year.

It is hoped that the first phase of the high-profile project is completed by 2017/18. Developer Argent is behind the Paradise Circus redevelopment and firm director Rob Groves today said all major milestones for the scheme has now been passed and work can get under way. Officials say the development was key to boosting business and enterprise in the city linking with aspirations to expand the commercial district.

The first phase of the scheme will also include a revised road layout with traffic re-routed the site. More than 250,000 sq ft of Grade A office space will be also be built.

It comes just weeks after designs were revealed for the stunning new HS2 Curzon Street Station hoped to boost the Eastside area of the city.

Experts hope the new city centre station will give the economy a £1.3 billion annual boost and create 14,000 jobs.

The Birmingham Curzon HS2 masterplan will transform 141 hectares and was has been unveiled by Birmingham City Council.