Events hub bigger than Trafalgar Square coming to Birmingham
The NEC Group have launched their new 'masterplan' for the area
Birmingham's NEC Campus is getting a massive redevelopment that will bring 5,000 new homes and 3,500 jobs to the area.
NEC Group, the UK's leading live events business, has launched a 'masterplan' for the NEC Campus that will see new restaurants, cafes, offices and homes being built.
The campus in Solihull is currently home to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Resorts World Arena, Resorts World Birmingham, The Bear Grylls Adventure and a number of hotels.
However, the redevelopment plan will turn more than 27 hectares into new resedential, office, leisure and community spaces.
The new plans will create:
- An estimated 3,500 new local jobs
- 35,000m2 of new commercial space
- 14,000m2 of new outdoor event space
- A new hotel
- New restaurants and cafes
- New primary school
- A greener and more sustainable environment on the NEC Campus
A new 'urban village' in Birmingham
The 'masterplan' project will see an entirely new, urban community built in the UK Central Solihull Hub area.
5,000 homes will be built to form the urban village in the north of the site, which will create a community for over 11,000 people.
The village will be made from a range of homes and amenities, such as a primary school, mobility hub, and a local centre with shops, cafes and community space.
The Bickenhill Plantation can be integrated into the build, giving the community access to the environment, while a grand plaza and urban boulevard will also be constructed.
The grand plaza is where the new event space, cafes and restaurants and hotel will be located, which will create the estimated 3,500 jobs.
The urban boulevard will be home to the commercial buildings, retail and leisure space, while it will be connected with the adjacent Arden Cross economic hub and the High Speed 2 interchange.
"Further investment and prosperity for the region"
Once the 'masterplan' is updated in response to feedback from public consultation, the NEC will choose a development partner to begin the project, which they say will bring further prosperity to the region.
Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:
"This is an exciting moment for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, as this transformational Masterplan is published. Birmingham is attracting record levels of investment, and the NEC Masterplan is testament to that.
“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.
NEC Group CEO, Paul Thandi, said:
“The NEC Campus is home to one of the top exhibition venues and arenas in Europe, and together with existing partners, we have long held ambitions to create a competitive destination to work, rest, live and play.
"These partners have seen the potential of the site and now will help us drive further investment and prosperity to the region.
"Now is the time to be bold and ambitious about the future and harness the power of the real estate we have to offer, whilst simultaneously maximising the benefits of having a young, diverse and entrepreneurial population.