[3] Before this area of Birmingham was developed in the 18th century, Colmore Row was a country lane called New Hall Lane, connecting the roads from city centre to Dudley and West Bromwich and separating the farmlands of the New Hall Estate (built c. 1630) to the north from those of the Inge Estate to the south.

The original buildings of Colmore Row were the brick and stucco Georgian houses typical of the late 18th century.

The 120-year leases on these properties started to expire in the 1840s and 1850s, and between 1869 and 1900 all were replaced by the late Victorian commercial premises that still give the street its predominant character.

[6] After the Second World War, Colmore Row was to have formed part of the extensive Inner Ring Road system planned by City Engineer Herbert Manzoni.

This would have necessitated demolishing all of the buildings between Colmore Row and Waterloo Street, but fell victim to increasing land values and awareness of conservation issues in the 1970s.

Barclays and local planning authority failed to reach any deal in negotiations, which eventually broke down.