1,000 jobs for Birmingham in first major regional hub for BT outside London

BT has announced the creation of 1,000 new jobs as its first major regional hub opens outside London - it's said to be responsible for generating about £1.5 billion for the West Midlands economy.

The telecoms giant said it already had 225 roles available at the new 17-floor Birmingham offices at Three Snowhill in the city centre.

The new office will eventually host about 3,500 staff from across BT Group.

Philip Jansen, BT Group chief executive, said the hub's opening was "a statement" that the firm was "serious about the 'levelling-up' agenda" and said a number of senior staff were now based in Birmingham.

The move has been welcomed by Mayor of the West Midlands.

The office is one of several new hubs the company is planning to open in the future, including others in Manchester and Bristol, together with a new London headquarters, which will cut the firm's footprint from 300 locations to 30.

The move is all part of a new flexible 'hybrid working' plan.

Three Snowhill boasts smart building technology, flexible workspaces and collaboration areas, as well as a cafe, which is open to the public, and a bike doctor, to encourage more staff cycle to work.

BT employs about 6,000 people directly and a further 600 contractors in the region and is responsible for generating about £1.5 billion for the West Midlands economy, according to the business consultancy Hatch.