MIPIM 2017: The Midlands UK delegation will today outline a 20-year growth and infrastructure plan for The Hub, a key part of the UK Central plans for Solihull, West Midlands.
The growth plan, developed by UK Central’s Urban Growth Company, sets out the vision for the UK’s first national and international gateway cluster, outlining a major opportunity for development and investment.
The scale of this opportunity is unprecedented for the region and includes the potential for 8.3m sq ft of new commercial and mixed-use space, up to 4,000 new homes and the potential to add £4.1bn GVA to the local economy each year.
The Hub has already secured investment from central government, the West Midlands Combined Authority, HS2 Ltd and Highways England, which will provide an expected £1.5bn of infrastructure investment over the next 10 years.
Plans include the development of a multi-modal transport interchange at Birmingham International Station, connecting the HS2 Interchange with the NEC and Birmingham Airport via an automated people mover and linking to mainline rail, Metro and Bus Rapid Transit. This will also generate new development opportunities, with potential for more than 3.4m sq ft of new commercial space.
The UGC will be the key facilitator in the delivery of the project, bringing together public and private sector partners and landowners and driving the infrastructure investment that will start next year.
Ian Courts, deputy leader and cabinet member for managed growth at Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “This plan allows us to showcase the truly global opportunity that is presented by The Hub. Growth and development ambitions around the HS2 Interchange and Arden Cross site, in addition to those of Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Jaguar Land Rover, combine to create a compelling international investment destination for the world stage.”
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