Birmingham determined to ensure HS2 brings regeneration to the city, says expert

The Council launched a consultation on the masterplan today. It sets out a vision for a major regeneration scheme of Birmingham city centre, including a new station where the HS2 route from London will terminate.

Under the plans, 141 hectare of the city centre will be redeveloped to provide 2,000 new homes and more than 6 million square feet of commercial space, including offices, shops and community and leisure facilities. The Council expects the regeneration to create over 14,000 jobs and to give the city's economy a £1.3 billlion annual boost.

"The size and scale of HS2 offers a once in a generation opportunity to provide the transformational benefits that the original building of the railways produced in the early nineteenth century when Birmingham became the greatest manufacturing centre in the world," said Patrick Twist of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com. 

"The launch of the Curzon Masterplan shows that Birmingham City Council is determined to ensure that HS2 will promote regeneration in the city and will help to provide the environment in which the rebalancing of the economy sought by the government can begin to be achieved," Twist said.

Council leader Sir Albert Bore said in a statement that the masterplan shows how Birmingham "can use HS2 as a catalyst to transform a huge part of our city, bringing with it jobs and prosperity for people in the West Midlands.

"We’re not waiting around for HS2 to get built before we get started. We’re announcing our plans today, and we’re ready to start building as soon as the new railway gets the green light. Up and down the length of HS2 there is huge potential for major regeneration and development and we must press forward with this project without delay,” Bore said.

Construction on the HS2 railway line and new stations is expected to start in 2017 and complete in 2026.