MIPIM 2016: Major proposals have been unveiled at MIPIM today for a key development site in the UK Central regeneration area in the West Midlands, which will house the interchange station for the £55.7bn HS2 high-speed rail project.
The Arden Cross consortium, a partnership of four landowners in the area surrounding Birmingham Airport and the NEC in Solihull, have revealed the plans for the 350-acre Arden Cross scheme.
The proposals include a mixed-use development of up to 2.65m sq ft of commercial space suitable for domestic and overseas occupiers, more than 2,000 new homes and a combination of complementary retail and leisure amenities, all set around the HS2 interchange station.
An important element of the HS2 development, the interchange station will be the first stop on the line outside London, forming a central node of the national high-speed rail project with unparalleled links to the UK’s major cities and an estimated 21,000 passengers a day using the station in 2026.
Situated near Junction 6 of the M42, the site will become a strategic destination for corporate occupiers, a hub for multiple forms of travel, and will offer connected living for residents.
Ben Gray from the Arden Cross Consortium said: “The HS2 interchange station is only one small part of the overarching vision for Arden Cross… While we are still in the early stages of the development process, it is hugely exciting for us to be able to unveil the vision for this site and how it can support the UK Central vision.”
UK Central is a strategic vision centred around four economic opportunity zones designed to maximise Solihull’s role as a powerhouse of the regional economy.
The initiative is supported by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, the West Midlands Combined Authority and central government.
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