The Birmingham office of property consultancy Bilfinger GVA has been appointed to advise on the Arden Cross development in Solihull.

Arden Cross is a 350-acre plot bounded by the M42, A45 and A452 next to Birmingham Airport and the NEC.

The site has been earmarked as the home of the HS2 Interchange Station - one of two stops in the Birmingham area on the high-speed line from London.

Outline masterplanning has focussed on the delivery of a long-term, sustainable mixed-use urban quarter with the station at its heart and the capacity for 2,000 new homes and 2.6 million sq ft of commercial space with complementary retail and leisure uses.

Initially, Bilfinger GVA will be tasked with identifying the investment proposition and working with Arden Cross to develop its business case before embarking on a global marketing campaign to attract appropriate investors.

Ben Gray, project director for the Arden Cross Consortium, said: "While HS2 will be responsible for delivering the Interchange station at Arden Cross, it's important for us to ensure that the remainder of the site is properly utilised to maximise related economic growth, best meet the demands of the West Midlands region and ensure a lasting legacy.

"We want to deliver a meaningful mixed-use development, utilising our central position within the UK and unparalleled transport connections to attract international businesses and build new homes to bridge the region's housing gap."

Carl Potter, Birmingham-based senior director at Bilfinger GVA who is leading the project, added: "Arden Cross represents a genuinely exciting opportunity to create a sustainable mixed-use destination at the heart of the UK.

"No other development site has this level of connectivity. Its direct links to existing railway infrastructure, wider motorway network and the airport, not to mention the HS2 line, will provide significant incentives for inward investment occupiers both from within the UK and overseas."

The Arden Cross Consortium represents the interests of the four landowners who have a stake in the site - Birmingham City Council, Packington Estate, Coleshill Estate and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.