Nestled within Birmingham’s upscale Edgbaston area, the tree-lined Frederick Road is home to grand houses, manicured gardens, and gated driveways—a perfect picture of suburban tranquility just minutes from the city centre. Yet, this idyllic scene is deeply marred by one striking eyesore: the abandoned 23-storey Five Ways Tower.
Standing 260 feet tall at the bottom of the street, the derelict office block overshadows the million-pound homes surrounding it, triggering mounting frustration among locals. Once a bustling commercial hub, Five Ways Tower was controversially shut down in 2005 after office workers suffered health issues due to poor design and inadequate ventilation. Since then, it has remained vacant, riddled with broken windows and condemned as a “sick building.”
Residents, some of whom have called Frederick Road home for over three decades, describe the tower as an unwelcome fortress threatening their peaceful community. One long-time resident likened the site to “Gaza,” expressing bafflement at Birmingham City Council’s apparent inaction. “When visitors come, that’s the first thing they notice,” he said. Another echoed the call for urgent progress: “They want to get a move on.”
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Despite the outcry, the building’s ownership adds complexity. The land and freehold belong to Calthorpe Estates, which manages much of Edgbaston’s high-end residential areas, while the leaseholder is The Corbally Group (Edgbaston) Ltd, which acquired the lease in 2016. Calthorpe Estates acknowledges the site’s significance and says it is actively collaborating with the leaseholder to advance redevelopment plans.
Supporting this push forward, developer Osborne+Co has submitted proposals to demolish Five Ways Tower. Their vision includes replacing it with a sleek, modern structure of similar scale, complemented by two smaller buildings designed for student or residential use—promising a fresh chapter for this contentious landmark.
In the meantime, Frederick Road continues to thrive as one of Birmingham’s most desirable addresses, boasting the city’s largest surge in house prices between 2024 and 2025—a staggering 112.3% growth. Yet for residents, the presence of Five Ways Tower remains a daily reminder of an unresolved issue overshadowing their otherwise serene neighbourhood.