NEC Birmingham launches ‘masterplan’ which will see creation of 5,000 homes and a primary school
A ‘masterplan’ which will see the creation of 3,500 local jobs and a village featuring 5,000 homes and a primary school at the NEC Campus in Birmingham has been launched.
The NEC Group has unveiled plans for the new 'campus', which currently houses the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Resorts World Arena, the Vox Conference Venue and The Bear Grylls Adventure.
The plan will see the redevelopment of surface level car parking and spare land, to create a village which will house around 11,000 people.
The current plan would see the creation of:
5,000 homes
A primary school
Around 3,500 local jobs
A 'grand plaza'
A hotel
Restaurants and cafes
The development, which the NEC Group said will "be one of the nation’s largest brownfield residential development opportunities", will work “in harmony” with the environment around - including existing mature woodlands and hedgerow landscapes.
The group added “the urban village will promote nature focused and active lifestyles”.
Watch as The Queen opens the NEC Birmingham back in 1976
With easy access to road (M42 and M6), rail (Birmingham International Railway Station) and air travel (Birmingham Airport), developers said the area will capitalise on its “exceptional local, national and international connectivity”.
Plans are in place for the piazza site to eventually be connected to a new HS2 rail interchange station at nearby Arden Cross, via a bridge link over the M42.
Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Ian Ward, which owns the land the NEC Campus is situated on, welcomed the launch of the plan: “I believe that we are at the beginning of a Golden Decade for Birmingham, with the Commonwealth Games taking place next year, and the arrival of HS2.
“Over the coming years this project will provide much-needed new homes and high-quality jobs for people from our region and I encourage people to make their thoughts known through the public consultation.”
The Leader of Solihull Council, Councillor Ian Courts, added: “The Masterplan unveiled today sets out a bold and ambitious vision for the future of the NEC Campus in Solihull.
“By utilising brownfield land the plans provide additional housing to meet the growing local demand without sacrificing our precious greenbelt. The proposed developments will not only bring much needed new homes but will see thousands of new jobs created, and further enhance the already unmatched overall destination offer found here.
“Located at the heart of the UK Central Solihull Hub Area, the NEC is already one of the best-connected sites in Europe. This ambitious Masterplan looks to further capitalise on this position and maximise the economic benefits associated with the arrival of HS2 for both Solihull and the wider region.”
The plan will now be put to a public consultation, which will run from 10 November to 24 December.
Following the consultation, developers say the plan will be updated and then the process to select a development partner for the first phase of the urban village will begin.
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