The property, development, infrastructure and construction industries are set to come together on the 23rd May at the Midlands Development Conference with one thing in mind – driving growth within the economy.

With a major focus on infrastructure connecting cities and towns across the Midlands, and the impending arrival of HS2, the region is set to see an unprecedented level of investment, development and regeneration. One area key to the growth of the Midlands is The Hub – and we hear exclusively from The Urban Growth Company, the special purpose delivery vehicle established to lead and develop this major investment and development site….

 

The Urban Growth Company (UGC) has been established to lead and develop major infrastructure investment in The Hub. Tell us a little more about this special delivery vehicle and the work you’re doing?

We were set up by Solihull Council to make the most of the opportunities arising from HS2’s arrival and to work with partners who are here already so that the whole development is much more than just the sum of its parts. As well as leading and, in some cases, delivering infrastructure investment, we’re also coordinating the growth plans of the stakeholders based here at The Hub, which include Birmingham Airport, Birmingham Business Park, Jaguar Land Rover and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

 

What is the vision for the area, and how are you working with key stakeholders such as the NEC, Birmingham Airport, Jaguar Land Rover and Birmingham Business Park to ensure to help them realise their potential?

The Hub isn’t like anywhere else in the UK. The opportunity to take the sum of those parts and turn them into something even greater – a new, best-in-class, mixed-use place with unrivalled connectivity – is special. And the collaboration between stakeholders, which we’re co-ordinating, is fundamentally important. They all recognise the benefits and they’re all prepared to put the work in, which helps deliver great value for money.

One of the key components of the site in the 340-acre Arden Cross development site which will host the HS2 Interchange Station, as well as business leisure and residential uses. When is the outline planning application set to be submitted for the site, and what will the phases of delivery look like?

As you might expect with a project of this size, timings depend on a number of things, including when HS2 will be able to release land back to the landowners for development. To bring this important site forward for development we’re currently working with partners to pull together a land development trajectory to outline realistic uses and timescales – that will inform our phasing of what Mayor Andy Street described as a “mega project for the region”.

 

HS2 is the defining infrastructure project of a generation, and the Interchange Station is set to be crucial in realising the full breadth of benefits across the UK. How will this station integrate into existing infrastructure and what new infrastructure is set to be developed to feed into this?

That’s one of the UGC’s main objectives. We’re working on the redevelopment of Birmingham International Station to create a multi-modal transport exchange which connects the existing transport network to the new HS2 Interchange Station. It will incorporate Metro trams, Sprint transit buses, pedestrians, cyclists and a brand new automated people mover providing seamless connections to HS2’s Interchange Station, the NEC and Birmingham Airport. We’re also working on a project with public and private sectors to upgrade the electricity network and ensure the power supply to The Hub will support the current and planned growth here.

Birmingham International

 

HS2 is much more than just a railway, it’ll be a catalyst for growth, regeneration and investment. How will this new station at the heart of The Hub, and those set to be connected across the UK, deliver that growth and the benefits to those across the whole of the Midlands?

‘Catalyst’ is absolutely the right word to use. In Solihull, HS2’s arrival is accelerating the pace and scale of other associated projects. In particular, local and regional public transport connectivity will be vastly improved and that’s what underpins growth, regeneration, development and investment, not just here at The Hub but across the wider West Midlands region.

 

How are inward investment conversations currently going – is there a big interest in companies looking to invest, develop and work in and around The Hub?

There has been a lot of interest and we had a really productive week at MIPIM this March. We’re on the longer-term radars of some serious investors and we’ll be in a good position to have much more detailed conversations with them in the next 12 months or so.

 

To deliver this mass growth you’ll be needing to work alongside investors, developers and those from all areas of the built environment industry. How do firms who’re keen on working across the site get involved within the procurement or future schemes?

We are a public body owned by Solihull Council, so we are regulated by public procurement processes. As we get closer to construction, we’ll be holding open days for local suppliers, so keep an eye open for publicity to advertise these. We’re planning the first event, for specialist advisers, in September.

Firms should also keep an eye on our website and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn because we use those platforms to highlight procurement opportunities and also provide more general updates on our projects.

 

There are of course a number of environmental issues that will require careful considerations – how is this being approached within the development plans, and how will you be integrating the site with high-quality green spaces.

At the heart of Solihull Council’s planning approach is a focus on sustainable development and that absolutely applies at The Hub. For example, we’re looking at how we make the best use of Holywell Brook which runs through the heart of the wider HS2 Interchange Station site, to create high-quality recreational and leisure space. And, of course, HS2 themselves have sustainability targets which will help benefit the area.

 

The Midlands Development Conference will bring together civic leaders, industry bodies, businesses and more from across the region. Why is it important to get all these stakeholders and firms together in one room?

Firstly, our vision for The Hub will only become a reality if we work collaboratively with public and private sector partners.

Secondly, we all have to be realistic about how to fund a project of this scale and if combine our resources it’s going to deliver far better value.

And thirdly, this is a special time for the West Midlands. Our collective offer is world-class and we should all be working together to promote our opportunities. Positioning ourselves as a joined-up, regional partnership has the potential to be very powerful on a global stage.

 

What are the three main priorities for Urban Growth Company over the next 18 months?

As we all get closer to the start of major construction work, our first priority is to keep challenging ourselves and our partners to future-proof the critical infrastructure needed to service the area for the next 30+ years. That includes securing the funding necessary to deliver and so we’re working hard to get that right.

We’re also working on a collective vision for The Hub, encompassing our own and our partners’ plans and translating them into a consolidated vision and development programme for the short, medium and long term. We all know how frustrating it is when contractors turn up to dig up a road that’s only just been laid. But that takes forward planning and co-ordination. Scaling that up to a multi-billion pound level is no small task but we’re determined to get it right.

Finally, our project to ensure the power supply supports key employers, such as Jaguar Land Rover, the NEC and Birmingham Airport, as well as the future homes and businesses that will be located here, is really important and we’re making great strides towards getting that planned and then delivered.

 

Urban Growth Company will be joined by over 300 other public and private sector firms at the Midlands Development Conference including: Midlands Connect, UK2070 Commission, Impact Hub, Birmingham City Council, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Toton Delivery Board, University of Leicester, Space Park Leicester, Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, Shropshire Council, Worcester City Council, Worcestershire LEP, Coventry City Council, East Midlands Council, PBA, Avison Young, Harworth Group, Miller Group, Transport for the West Midlands, West Midlands Combined Authority, Nottingham Trent University, University of Derby, Aston University, Coventry University, Canal & River Trust, WSP, D2N2 LEP, Coventry & Warwickshire LEP, Miller Birch, Bruntwood, Sladen Estates, Kier Property. Click here to register >