Gatecrasher, the nightclub operator, has acquired the 2,400-capacity Birmingham club, The Works.

The firm plans to invest £5m on the club, with the aim of transforming it into a designer-led 'super-club'.

The venue will be stripped back to its foundation walls and completely redesigned. Gatecrasher is working with a team of designers – including Big Time Design (Cameo, Miami and Crobar, New York) and Callin Fortis – on the multi-level club, which is expected to reopen in September under the Gatecrasher brand.

Gatecrasher already owns three Gatecrasher-branded clubs (in Sheffield, Leeds and Nottingham), as well as the Arena nightclub in Watford, which is due to undergo a substantial redevelopment and rebrand later this year.

The move into Birmingham is part of the company's search for "architecturally significant" buildings across the UK to convert into clubs. Cities including Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton, Liverpool and Dublin, Ireland, have been earmarked as part of the group's expansion plans through 2008 to 2009.