Greater Birmingham is the only place in Europe that will benefit from two new high speed rail stations in touching distance of a major airport, at the heart of the strategic road and rail networks.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for the region, and one which will be of considerable interest to investors.

Our vision for Birmingham Curzon is set out in the Curzon Investment Plan – a £1 billion programme that will regenerate a huge swathe of the city around the new high speed rail terminal.

CGI of Chamberlain Square redevelopment as part of Paradise project
CGI of Chamberlain Square redevelopment as part of Paradise project

The Investment Plan will facilitate the regeneration of Digbeth and Eastside, a long-neglected area of the city with significant potential for economic growth.

The plans for Curzon will see the Central Business District – already the largest centre for business, professional and financial services outside of London – expand to become genuinely world-class.

The plans integrate the area into the wider city centre, including opportunities for mixed-use schemes, new residential developments and workspaces.

Simon Marks
Simon Marks

The plan will create 4,000 new homes, 36,000 new jobs and 600,000 sq m of commercial floorspace, and will result in £1.4 billion additional economic output. It will be truly transformational and will change the look and feel of the city forever.

With so much excitement around HS2, we should not lose sight of our City Centre Enterprise Zone, which continues to go from strength to strength.

To date, just £45 million public investment has generated some £390 million of private sector leverage to realise more than 100,000 sq m of new floor space.

The difference that the Paradise development is making to the city core is phenomenal, reopening historic views from Chamberlain Square through to the city’s civic heart.

This is a truly exciting time for Greater Birmingham and I am sure that the investment community will recognise what many of us have known for some time now – our city region is strongly positioned to increase its global competitiveness and to play a leading role in the UK’s future growth.