Full speed ahead for huge new urban quarter by HS2 hub
PLANS to create an urban quarter around the HS2 Interchange station in Solihull have taken a major step forward after almost £10 million in new funding was secured.
The new infrastructure and transport connections at the site close to the NEC and Birmingham Airport were agreed this week, with a final deal to be signed later this month.
The Urban Growth Company (UGC) was established by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council to maximise development and investment at the HS2 station site and neighbouring land, collectively known as The Hub.
It has been working jointly with the council to secure £9.8 million of devolution deal funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority to enable HS2 to design the changes.
UGC and Solihull Council have also reached the basis of an agreement with HS2 about how the design process will be managed and delivered to support the vision for the new station site over the next two years, laying the foundations for other development at the wider site.
The changes include a plaza and public transport interchange aimed at creating a sense of arrival at the new HS2 station, replacing surface car parking with multi-storey car parks to free up land, improved pedestrian links and additional capacity for utilities. This will ensure HS2 Interchange is better connected to local transport services, including future Metro and Sprint routes, and also open up the wider site for development. The Hub is home to a number of key stakeholders including the NEC, Birmingham Airport and Jaguar Land Rover as well as the 340- acre Arden Cross development site, which will host the HS2 interchange station alongside business and residential uses. The funding deal is being announced at international property conference MIPIM in France this week.
Councillor Ian Courts, deputy leader of Solihull Council, said: “This agreement means we really can make the most of HS2’s arrival and deliver up to 77,500 new jobs, 775,000 sq metres of commercial space, 4,000 new homes and generate £4.1 billion every year as a result. It also means that people across the region will be better connected than ever, thanks to the improvements to local transport links.”