The Commonwealth Games is a great opportunity to bring jobs and development to Perry Barr but local people have to be fully consulted a local councillor has claimed.

With an upgraded Alexander Stadium earmarked as the centrepiece for Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games 2022 bid the surrounding area is likely to see transport improvements, new housing, improved sporting facilities and other spin offs.

And cllr Jon Hunt (Lib Dem, Perry Barr) has given the bid his full backing and backs bringing forward the city’s bid from 2026 to 2022.

Cllr Hunt said: “2022 is in many ways better than 2026 because the short timescale prevents the city over-spending. In fact the brief is for a low-cost, low-risk bid to replace Durban in South Africa.

“This means that if the bid is successful much of the activity will take place in my ward, Perry Barr. The Alexander Stadium will be expanded and an athletes village created on the site of the former City University campus.

“This will have a huge impact on the neighbourhood. It will be exciting for local people but may also reopen concerns about issues such as the use of parkland and development of transport corridors.”

He is now seeking assurances that local people will be consulted on the proposals as the detailed bid is developed over the coming weeks.

“This bid needs all people and all parties behind it,” he added.

Plans for the Games will include an upgrade of the Alexander Stadium with new permanent and temporary stands to take its capacity from its current 12,700 spectators to more than 40,000. Temporary stands would then be removed leaving a 25,000 seater stadium.

Jon Hunt, Lib Dem councillor for Perry Barr

This could then replace the London Stadium, which is limited through its share with West Ham United, as the home of athletics in the UK.

Double Olympian triple jumper Nathan Douglas has also backed the bid saying Birmingham is ‘perfectly placed’ to host the 2022 Games.

“It’s the heart of the country, transport links are brilliant, everyone can get to Birmingham easily.”

He added that ‘it is also a vibrant city and probably the most diverse city in the country.”