The reordering
of Birmingham's parish church of St Martins in the Bull Ring was completed
in late 2000, and the second and third phases, (conservation of the external
fabric and upgrading the post World War II social facilities) were run
concurrently as a single contract, and finished in August 2003, prior to
the opening of the adjacent £500m retail complex. The total restoration
scheme has cost nearly £5mBirmingham’s
historic parish church is now restored as the focal point of the shopping
centre, and with the downgrading of the notorious inner ring road, is reunited
with the heart of the city.
The social wing consisted of two buildings on different levels with little
connection between them. They have now been cojoined by a new entrance facing
the Open Markets, stairs and lift linked to the south porch of the church.
The Church owned no land beyond its curtilage, and additional area was gained
by cantilevering the first floor over the footpaths and inserting a partial
mezzanine within the former hall. New building wraps over and around the
earlier construction, creating a unified frontage.
