Greater Birmingham MIPIM Brochure

GREATER BIRMINGHAM GREATER TOGETHER BIRMINGHAM BLACK COUNTRY UK CENTRAL SOLIHULL

Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the city of Birmingham in England. it is the largest local authority in the United Kingdom, representing over one million people. The City Council has put in place an ambitious growth agenda to meet the needs of its growing population and build a strong and prosperous economy for the future.

Greater Birmingham & Solihull contains a population of nearly two million and is home to a million jobs and an economy worth £40 billion. It enjoys a concentration of economic drivers second only to London, making its success key to the fortunes of the UK economy as a whole.

The Black Country LEP aligns activity across private and public sectors to create the right environment for businesses with a remit to tackle barriers to business growth and create a globally competitive local economy. The Black Country – located at the heart of the national transport network – comprises the metropolitan boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and the city of Wolverhampton. It is home to 1.17 million people and over 35,000 businesses.

Urban Growth Company UK Central Solihull is the international investment brand created by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. To maximise the opportunity arising from the HS2 Interchange, as well as the growth ambitions of its key economic assets including Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Jaguar Land Rover, the UK Central Urban Growth Company has been established, to drive investment and delivery of infrastructure within the Interchange site and wider Hub area.

The Birmingham City Centre Enterprise Zone has the potential to create 40,000 new jobs, add £2 billion a year to the economy and make available 1.3 million sqm of floorspace over the lifetime of the project.

Birmingham City Centre Enterprise Zone comprises 26 sites across the city centre. These sites are focused on the business and financial services, Information and Communication Technology, creative industries and digital media sectors, which are already clustered in the city centre and present significant growth opportunities.

Councils in Birmingham, the Black Country and UK Central Solihull make up six of the seven constituent authorities of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Working across geographic boundaries and sectors, the West Midlands Combined Authority – which also comprises the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP and the Black Country LEP – will establish a robust framework, which will deliver the coordinated decision-making needed for modern economic governance.

WELCOME

BY ANY MEASURE GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS A THRIVING ECONOMIC HOTSPOT IN THE UK AND – AS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF INVESTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE SEEING – A CITY REGION THAT IS GAINING GROUND IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. Greater Birmingham leads the way on business start-ups and is one of the UK’s economic success stories.

It is one of the most innovative city regions in Europe and its quality of life is attracting skilled workers and renowned employers from all over the UK and abroad.

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he area is constantly evolving and has transformed itself into a globally recognised business destination for companies across a range of industries. It has enjoyed an impressive 188% increase in foreign direct investment and an 86% increase in jobs over the last five years. This has only been possible because of our strengths, such as connectivity, high quality employment sites, an established high value manufacturing base and a rich cultural offer.

schemes, projects and masterplans are set to cement the region’s reputation as the engine of the UK economy.

Major investments include high-speed rail (HS2¬), the development of Birmingham Smithfield, the Curzon Investment Plan, the Growth and Infrastructure Plan for the UK Central Hub at Solihull, DY5 – Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone, and the Paradise scheme – which alone will generate £2 billion worth of investment. These world-class

Working in collaboration across Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull, we want to showcase the economic renaissance that has been taking place across the region. We also want to outline the vast array of opportunities for investors keen to be part of Greater Birmingham’s growing prominence as a leading destination to live, work and invest in.

With a large talented workforce and world-class universities producing widely sought-after graduates, this region is turning ambition into reality. Home to a thriving business community, Greater Birmingham is a leading UK destination for firms ranging from cutting-edge start-ups to international brands.

CONTENTS 03 Greater Birmingham: An overview 05 Key Projects 06 Transport Network 07 Facts and figures 09 Connectivity 11 Housing 15 Town and city centre development 17 Advanced manufacturing 19 Greater Birmingham: Making headlines

Steve Hollis

Tom Westley

Chairman for Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP

Black Country LEP Board Lead on Enterprise Zones

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GREATER BIRMINGHAM: AN OVERVIEW

GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS AT THE EPICENTRE OF THE UK – GEOGRAPHICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. ITS BOLD VISION IS EXTENDING INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORKS, STIMULATING REGENERATION AND FURTHER STRENGTHENING ITS REPUTATION AS AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR INVESTMENT.

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ith a population of 3.2 million people, Greater Birmingham encompasses Birmingham, UK Central Solihull and the Black Country. It is home to more than 120,000 businesses, the highest concentration in the UK outside London. Increasing numbers of international companies are flocking to the region, which secured more than 100 foreign direct investment projects last year alone.

With the UK’s largest economy outside London, Birmingham is also its most entrepreneurial. More than 17,000 new companies were set up in Birmingham last year, more than any other regional city. It also surpassed London to have the country’s highest business growth rate in 2016. A major hub for financial services, it is attracting international firms including HSBC, Deutsche Bank and Lombard Risk Management.

Benefiting from significant increases in foreign and domestic investment over recent years, the Black Country continues to offer lucrative growth potential and was recognised as one of the top five cost-effective regions in the UK by international magazine fDi. Home to more than 1.17 million people and over 35,000 businesses, the Black Country comprises the City of Wolverhampton and the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall.

Greater Birmingham’s reputation for culture, food and green spaces also supports a highly-skilled and settled workforce – and attracts tens of millions of tourists each year.

UK Central Solihull – home to Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Arden Cross – already contributes around £5.1 billion to UK GDP and is at the heart of the region’s advanced manufacturing, aerospace, ICT, building technologies and low carbon expertise. During the past five years, it has experienced the fastest growing employment outside of London – driven by strong private sector investment from international firms including Changan Automotive, Rolls Royce and Jaguar Land Rover.

Consistently recognised as one of the UK’s best places to live, UK Central Solihull has a reputation for excellent education, more than 1,500 acres of parks and open spaces and has recently been ranked the most in-demand area for property in the UK (eMoov).

Birmingham offers staff the best quality of life of any UK city outside London (Mercer) while providing companies with excellent transport networks and a lively business environment. Meanwhile the creation of new developments – from the £500 million Paradise scheme to the Grade A office space being constructed at Arena Central and Three Snowhill – are set to transform the city’s skyline.

Left to right (clockwise): Arena Central, UK Central Solihull and Wolverhampton Westside

Greater Birmingham is highly connected to major markets, nationally and beyond. More than 90% of the UK is accessible within four hours – while Birmingham Airport offers 140 direct routes to all parts of the globe.

Its £300 million investment to extend the runway and redevelop the terminal to welcome the A380 means that Birmingham is the premier long-haul airport for the UK’s central region.

“GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS HOME TO MORE THAN 120,000 BUSINESSES, THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION IN THE UK OUTSIDE LONDON.”

The completion of HS2, Europe’s largest infrastructure scheme, will place Greater Birmingham even closer to its national and international neighbours. It is the country’s only location to have two stations – at Birmingham Curzon and the Interchange at the Hub of UK Central Solihull – and HS2 will trigger a wave of connectivity projects across the wider Midlands region.

UK Central Solihull’s vision includes large-scale development and infrastructure plans to generate unparalleled growth, and capitalise on the opportunity that its HS2 Interchange station presents.

In the Black Country, a £120 million integrated regional transport hub will offer a new, modern gateway to Wolverhampton city centre.

Already a magnet for investment from across the world, Greater Birmingham is realising its far-reaching plans for growth – while offering new opportunities for investors and companies that are looking to fulfil their own ambitions.

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GREATER BIRMINGHAM: KEY PROJECTS

GLASGOW EDINBURGH

HS2

NEWCASTLE

M6 MANCHESTER

LEEDS

HS2

SHEFFIELD LIVERPOOL M6 TOLL

M54 LONDON

CARDIFF

5

BRISTOL

12

M42

11 7

6 8

THE BLACK COUNTRY 3 1

M6

4

2 9

BIRMINGHAM

M42

10

UK CENTRAL SOLIHULL HS2 M42 M5

1 Birmingham Curzon 2 Birmingham Smithfield 3 DY5 – Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone 4 HS2 Interchange Solihull 5 i54 (Black Country Enterprise Zone)

6 Langley Sustainable Urban Extension 7 M 6 Junction 10 Cluster (Black Country Enterprise Zone) 8 Peddimore 9 UK Central Solihull – The Hub

M40

10 UK Central Solihull – Solihull Town Centre 11 U niversity of Wolverhampton: Springfield Campus 12 W olverhampton City Centre Regeneration

GREATER BIRMINGHAM: TRANSPORT NETWORK TO EDINBURGH

TO GLASGOW WEST COAST MAINLINE

EAST COAST MAINLINE

YORK LEEDS

M6

MANCHESTER

HS2 M62

HS2

LIVERPOOL

SHEFFIELD MEADOWHALL

MANCHESTER AIRPORT

SHEFFIELD M6

M1

HS2

STOKE

CREWE

NOTTINGHAM

DERBY

EAST MIDLANDS HUB

EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT HS2 HS2

LEICESTER

M54 CITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON

HS2 INTERCHANGE (SOLIHULL)

GREATER BIRMINGHAM

M6

BIRMINHAM AIRPORT

M1 M40

M5

HS2

M25 CARDIFF

BRISTOL

M4 OLD OAK COMMON HEATHROW

EUSTON ST PANCRAS

LONDON HS1 GATWICK

“WITH A POPULATION OF 3.2 MILLION PEOPLE, GREATER BIRMINGHAM ENCOMPASSES BIRMINGHAM, UK CENTRAL SOLIHULL AND THE BLACK COUNTRY.” 6

FACTS AND FIGURES •1 20,000 companies reside in Greater Birmingham – the highest concentration of businesses outside London • The Greater Birmingham area is a major engine of UK growth with an economy worth £61 billion • Exports from the wider West Midlands region are the third highest in the country • Birmingham has ranked as the most entrepreneurial UK city outside London for four consecutive years • 27% of all UK exports to China are from Greater Birmingham – it is the only region to have a trade surplus with China • UK Central Solihull has the fastest growing employment outside of London • Europe’s largest infrastructural project HS2 will bring Greater Birmingham within 38 minutes of the capital • More than 100 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects were attracted to Greater Birmingham last year • Birmingham is top in the UK for real estate investment potential, and sixth in Europe • The Black Country has the highest proportion of high and low tech manufacturing jobs in the country • Over half of the UK population lies within two hours of the region, whilst 90% are within a four-hour travel time • Birmingham recorded the highest rate of business growth of any UK city in 2016; with a growth rate double the national average

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Birmingham Smithfield

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CONNECTIVITY AT THE HEART OF THE UK, GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS ALREADY WITHIN EASY REACH OF ALL REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL MARKETS. BUT NEW PLANS FOR MORE COMPREHENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND GREATER ACCESSIBILITY WILL MAKE IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR INVESTORS AND BUSINESSES.

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reater Birmingham is an international gateway, with Birmingham Airport offering 140 direct routes across the world to cities in Europe, North America and Asia. The region is at the centre of the UK’s road network – connecting to the M6, M42, M40 and M54 and major mainline rail services.

HS2 will be operational from 2026, bringing Greater Birmingham just 38 minutes away from London. Its second phase will link Greater Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds, placing the region firmly at the centre of the UK’s economic network. The largest project of its kind in Europe, HS2 is expected to generate £14 billion GVA in the Midlands, trigger new local transport schemes and boost connectivity between Greater Birmingham and other regional economic hubs.

The Birmingham Curzon HS2 station provides a unique opportunity to radically enhance the city’s rail connectivity.

A £700 million funding programme agreed with Government will integrate the station into the city centre, expand the Midland Metro network to UK Central Solihull – providing access to Birmingham Airport – and create the infrastructure to trigger the development of new sites.

Curzon’s Masterplan sets out how HS2 will maximise the potential of Birmingham city centre – in particular, 141 hectares covering Eastside, Digbeth and the eastern side of the city core.

It comprises more than 30 development opportunities within the City Centre Enterprise Zone, which could provide around 4,000 new homes and 600,000 sqm of commercial, leisure and retail floorspace.

UK Central Solihull’s Interchange station is located in the Hub – home to a unique concentration of global economic assets and associated development opportunities, including Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre, Jaguar Land Rover and Arden Cross.

Above: UK Central Solihull and Wolverhampton Interchange

The Hub will deliver 750,000 sqm of commercial development, over 3,500 new homes, 35,000 new jobs and around £2.1 billion in GVA. Facilitated by UK Central’s Urban Growth Company, the scale of opportunity is set out in its Growth and Infrastructure Plan, with first phases of development commencing in 2018.

Some £1.5 billion of infrastructure investment is planned, including an Automated People Mover connecting the HS2 Interchange to the NEC and Birmingham Airport via a multimodal interchange at Birmingham International Station.

HS2 also brings major supply chain and regeneration opportunities for the Black Country, as well as the delivery of infrastructure projects including the proposed £400 million Brierley Hill Metro project, linking strategic centres in the Black Country to the HS2 network.

The Midlands Metro line currently runs from Birmingham to the City of Wolverhampton. Its recent extension in Birmingham city centre – from Snow Hill station to New Street station – has significantly enhanced connectivity. Further funding is committed to extend the Metro to East Birmingham, link UK Central Solihull with its HS2 Interchange station and connect all of Birmingham’s main train stations.

“GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS AN INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY, WITH BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT OFFERING 140 DIRECT ROUTES ACROSS THE WORLD TO CITIES IN EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA AND ASIA. ”

In the Black Country, a £120 million integrated regional transport hub called the Wolverhampton Interchange will provide a modern gateway to the city centre. In addition, a £65 million investment into the M6 Motorway Junction 10 improvement scheme to improve transport flows will complete in 2020.

A very light rail (VLR) innovation centre and rail line has been proposed for Dudley in the Black Country. The project – which will create 50 jobs during the initial manufacturing phase alone – connects the town with the national rail network for the first time in more than five decades. The new line will comprise two tracks, one for pilot testing of VLR vehicles manufactured at the centre and the other for passenger services.

Digital connectivity within the Black Country will also significantly increase with the extension of high-speed fibre broadband to 98% of homes and businesses across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and the City of Wolverhampton by autumn 2017.

Below: Birmingham Curzon

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HOUSING GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS THRIVING. AS THE NUMBER ONE REGION FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS RELOCATING OUT OF LONDON, THE NUMBER ONE CITY FOR BUSINESS START-UPS AND SCALE-UPS, AND HOME TO THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF BUSINESSES OUTSIDE LONDON – HOUSING DEMAND FOR GREATER BIRMINGHAM HAS REACHED AN ALL-TIME HIGH.

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here’s never been a better time to live in the region.

Ambitious housing schemes in the pipeline are helping to accommodate both the existing population and those attracted by the region’s economic success.

Greater Birmingham’s mix of regeneration, redevelopment and job creation, as well as the relatively lower entry price for property, means that its attractiveness to homebuyers and investors is likely to continue to grow in the coming years.

Activity in Birmingham, in economic terms as well as public realm planning, is helping to feed a strong demand for housing.

Significant investor interest was demonstrated in 2016, which culminated in a deal between Birmingham City Council and Chinese property development company Country Garden to explore large-scale investment opportunities and deliver new housing. The deal is worth up to £2 billion to the Birmingham economy.

Schemes moving forward in 2017 include the Langley Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE), which forms part of the city’s strategy to meet housing needs in the most sustainable way. Langley represents the largest single development site within Birmingham. This residential development, of around 6,000 homes on nearly 300 hectares of greenfield land near to the desirable area of Sutton Coldfield, will deliver sustainable communities that are supported by excellent infrastructure and facilities.

Additionally, the Greater Icknield scheme offers the opportunity to deliver a sustainable neighbourhood and a destination of choice for families wishing to live in Birmingham and close to the city centre. The 60 hectare site offers the potential to accommodate around 3,000 new homes as part of a new neighbourhood alongside attractive canal and waterside frontages. A masterplan is in place to help guide development.

Supported by strong investment in infrastructure and a growing economy, UK Central Solihull has emerging opportunities for future housing development.

Above: Greater Icknield and Black Country Garden City

The UK Central Solihull Hub area has the potential to deliver around 3,500 new homes, alongside opportunities for large scale commercial development. Solihull’s town centre, already a thriving commercial, retail and residential area, has also identified the potential opportunity for up to 1,400 new homes within a new masterplan for the area.

Right: L angley Sustainable Urban Extension, Birmingham

“GREATER BIRMINGHAM’S MIX OF REGENERATION, REDEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION, AS WELL AS THE RELATIVELY LOWER ENTRY PRICE FOR PROPERTY, MEANS THAT ITS ATTRACTIVENESS TO HOMEBUYERS AND INVESTORS IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE COMING YEARS.” By 2033, an exciting vision for growth will mean that the Black Country will have increased the number of local jobs to 545,000 and strengthened its business base by creating an additional 1,500 new businesses each year. Acceleration of the housing market to support economic growth is a key priority for the Black Country – the Black Country Garden City Prospectus outlines a major opportunity to build over 40,000 homes across 550 key development projects. These include 300 units in Brierley Hill; 700 units at Friar Park in Wednesbury; 450 units at Grove Lane in Smethwick; 500 units at West Bromwich town centre; 310 units at the former Caparo site in Walsall and 250 units at the first phase of Canalside in the City of Wolverhampton.

With a commitment to positive planning, the Garden City Prospectus offers investors access to the Black Country’s existing heritage assets, green spaces and canalside living, and the potential to create vibrant, connected neighbourhoods with the community at their hearts.

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“GREATER BIRMINGHAM’S REPUTATION FOR CULTURE, FOOD AND GREEN SPACES ALSO SUPPORTS A HIGHLY-SKILLED AND SETTLED WORKFORCE – AND ATTRACTS TENS OF MILLIONS OF TOURISTS EACH YEAR.”

Wolverhampton Westside

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TOWN AND CITY CENTRE DEVELOPMENT GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS PUSHING AHEAD WITH HUGE REGENERATION PLANS THAT WILL TRANSFORM ITS URBAN ENVIRONMENTS. THIS WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO THE COMPANIES THAT OPERATE IN THE AREA, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND COMMUTE THERE.

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UK success story, Birmingham has evolved into a truly global, modern and diverse city. The city’s robust growth strategy and unprecedented investment in infrastructure and connectivity, most notably demonstrated with the £600 million redevelopment of New Street station, is securing its position as the top UK city for investment prospects.

It is also the UK’s largest financial centre outside London, boasting several regional and national headquarters – including international firms such as HSBC and Deutsche Bank.

Major new build projects such as Paradise, Arena Central and Three Snowhill, together with the high quality refurbishment of 55 Colmore Row, is releasing additional office space into the market, securing the city’s ongoing renaissance and attracting new investors and occupiers.

Birmingham’s growth strategy for the city centre, the Big City Plan, contains ambitious proposals to grow the city centre by 25% and create 700,000 sqm of office space. Delivery of the masterplan is being supported by Birmingham’s city centre Enterprise Zone (EZ) – the largest and most ambitious city centre EZ in the UK. Working with the Local Enterprise Partnership, the city’s ability to retain and borrow against business rates uplift has generated £275 million of investment to unlock development and improve levels of connectivity and infrastructure. EZ funding of £87 million has helped kick-start the major Paradise development, which will create 1.9 million sq ft of Grade A office led mixed-use space and 10,000 jobs.

Above: Birmingham Smithfield and Walsall

Birmingham Smithfield represents one of the largest and most attractive city centre regeneration opportunities in the UK. Covering 14 hectares of land, it will capitalise on the rich history of the area, and proximity to its major retail offer, its creative quarter and knowledge hub, and the future city centre station for HS2. The future vision for Birmingham Smithfield includes new vibrant retail markets, exciting family leisure, cultural buildings, a residential neighbourhood, public squares and transport facilities. The site has capacity to deliver 300,000 sqm of new floorspace and 2,000 new homes, with an investment value of over £500 million.

UK Central Solihull’s thriving commercial, retail and residential town centre boasts real growth potential. It is already a highly popular location for international occupiers, plus national and independent brands, including Apple, Tesla and John Lewis.

Above: Touchwood, Solihull

With low vacancy rates and high take up of space across the retail, leisure and office sectors, Solihull offers strong opportunities for growth. The town is a magnet for investment, most recently demonstrated by Lendlease’s plans for a 114,990 sq ft retail and leisure extension of Touchwood shopping centre – along with the £44 million purchase of Mell Square by IM Properties and its subsequent planned investment.

Solihull’s Town Centre Masterplan identifies new opportunities for development with exceptional connectivity. This comprises up to 125,000 sq ft of commercial and leisure development, some 800,000 sq ft of new office development and 1,400 new homes. There is also growing support for the relocation of Solihull train station, with potential for further commercial development surrounding a new site.

With £2 billion of investment planned, a wealth of opportunities also exists across the Black Country’s strategic centres.

MAJOR REGENERATION PLANS INCLUDE: • Wolverhampton i9: a striking 50,000 sq ft office building, ideal for a national headquarters • Wolverhampton Canalside: a 47 hectare mixed-use proposition with immediate opportunities to develop an attractive urban living environment for more than 600 new homes • Wolverhampton Royal: a five hectare unique urban village scheme based around iconic heritage buildings.

The City of Wolverhampton is undergoing a major transformation with £1 billion of investment in its city centre alone. Mixed-use site proposals at Wolverhampton Westside include new leisure, restaurants, shops and homes, while a £120 million integrated regional transport hub is providing a modern gateway to the city centre. One of the top ten growing economies in the UK, Wolverhampton is transforming into a city of opportunity.

A range of commercial and residential propositions are available across the Black Country’s other town centres, with a pipeline of £1 billion of investment in West Bromwich, Walsall and Dudley.

Significant projects include the £28 million Waterfront Lex in Walsall, a gateway site for leisure, work and living – while leisure and residential opportunities in West Bromwich town centre total £87.5 million. The continued growth of the retail, leisure and residential offer Dudley town centre offers investment opportunities worth £100 million.

“AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DESTINATION, BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE ALSO OFFERS A DIVERSE MIX OF RETAIL, CULTURAL, RECREATION AND LEISURE USES.” 16

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING GREATER BIRMINGHAM WAS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, EARNING TITLES SUCH AS THE ‘WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD’.

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oday, the region’s advanced manufacturing sector is home to more than 4,000 companies, employing nearly 85,000 people and contributing over £9 billion per year to the economy. Greater Birmingham’s strength in the sector is highlighted by the presence of worldleading companies including the automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover, which has plants across the region.

The 20 hectare Advanced Manufacturing Hub (AMH) in north Birmingham is one of the region’s designated Economic Zones, providing a wealth of opportunities for the growing automotive supply chain as well as other advanced engineering activity. The first phase of the AMH is being successfully delivered, securing international investment from global tool maker Guhring and international manufacturer of high performance electrohydraulic controls HydraForce Ltd as major occupiers. Seven hectares is occupied, on site, or due to start imminently.

The AMH is well placed to accommodate growth in this sector, given its size and accessibility at the heart of the motorway network. The site has good access to the A38(M), Junction 6 of the M6, and provides easy access to the largest range of automotive supply chain opportunities in the UK, as well as a highly-skilled workforce.

The Black Country High Value Manufacturing (HVM) City is the development programme driving the advancement of the world-class design, manufacturing and engineering opportunities in the area.

Above: Guhring and i54, Black Country Enterprise Zone

HVM City will add over £1 billon to the economy, bring forward more than 150 hectares of land for advanced manufacturing and create over 73,000 jobs.

“TODAY, THE REGION’S ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SECTOR IS HOME TO MORE THAN 4,000 COMPANIES, EMPLOYING NEARLY 85,000 PEOPLE AND CONTRIBUTING OVER £9 BILLION PER YEAR TO THE ECONOMY.”

The Black Country is home to the UK’s most successful Enterprise Zone (EZ) and significant opportunities exist for investors, developers and occupiers across the EZ and beyond, including: • i54, home of Jaguar Land Rover’s Engine Manufacturing Centre, one of the most soughtafter manufacturing locations in the Midlands • The new DY5 – Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone, which will unlock 70 hectares of industrial investment sites in the Brierley Hill area • A cluster of industrial development opportunities totalling more than £200 million over 76 hectares at Junction 10 of the M6 motorway, including the high profile £48 million Phoenix 10 site • Opportunities for c.350,000 sq ft of new industrial floorspace at North Smethwick Intervention Area on the border with Birmingham.

HVM City will create the perfect conditions for advanced manufacturers to thrive; through investment in world leading people, businesses and places.

UK Central Solihull is home to Jaguar Land Rover’s largest manufacturing plant at Lode Lane – one of the most advanced car manufacturing facilities in the world.

The all-new aluminium-intensive architecture body shop and final assembly hall cover an area equivalent to 22 football pitches. The plant is also home of the F-PACE, the fastest selling Jaguar in the company’s history.

Changan Automotive has also acquired a 7,500 sqm worldwide headquarters for its powertrain and research and development divisions at Birmingham Business Park – producing a new engine for the Honor model, launched at the Guangzhou Motor Show, and with plans to bring a further 15 new products to market this year.

Rolls Royce is also a key investor in the UK Central Solihull area, with the opening of its new £90 million 28,500 sqm Advanced Manufacturing and Technology facility at Birmingham Business Park.

Below: Jaguar Land Rover

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GREATER BIRMINGHAM: MAKING HEADLINES “BRITAIN’S SECOND CITY HAS BEEN ON THE UP AND UP... THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED SOMETHING OF A REVIVAL, AND ITS REAL-ESTATE MARKET IS GROWING.” Charlie Wells, Wall Street Journal August 2016

“THE BLACK COUNTY IS A STRONG EXAMPLE OF HOW WELL THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY CHAIN IS DOING.” Lawrence Davies MBE, Cheif Executive - Automotive Investment Organisation, Department for International Trade July 2016

“RECORD 1 MILLION OVERSEAS VISITORS TO BIRMINGHAM: NO OTHER CITY OUTSIDE LONDON HAS SEEN SUCH AN INCREASE IN TOURISTS – DRAWN HERE BY HIGH-CLASS ART, MICHELINSTAR RESTAURANTS – AND PEAKY BLINDERS.” Will Coldwell, The Guardian May 2016

“SOLIHULL HAS THE FASTEST GROWING LABOUR MARKET OUTSIDE OF LONDON.” Business Register & Employment Survey, September 2016

“BIRMINGHAM IS PLOUGHING ALMOST £1BN INTO REGENERATING THE AREA AROUND THE PLANNED HS2 CURZON STREET STATION, IN A SCHEME THAT WILL CREATE 4,000 HOMES.” Isabelle Fraser, Daily Telegraph, September 2016

“BIRMINGHAM HAS THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE OF ANY ENGLISH CITY OUTSIDE LONDON, ACCORDING TO MERCER, THE GLOBAL CONSULTANCY, AND ITS CENTRAL LOCATION WITHIN ENGLAND GIVES IT THE ADVANTAGE OF EASIER COMMUTES AROUND THE COUNTRY.” Gabriella Swerling, The Times October 2016

“WITH 600 BUSINESSES SUPPORTED, AND 17,000 PEOPLE HELPED INTO EMPLOYMENT, THE GBSLEP IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WHEN YOU HAVE VISION AND GO OUT THERE AND HELP YOUR AREA.” Prime Minister Theresa May, October 2016

“SOLIHULL IS THE MOST IN-DEMAND AREA FOR PROPERTY IN THE UK.” Property Hotspot Index - Emoov, December 2016

“MANUFACTURING IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE BLACK COUNTRY’S HERITAGE BUT I WANT TO SHOW THAT HI-TECH MANUFACTURING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE IN THE REGION TOO. I WANT PEOPLE IN LONDON TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE BRINGING NEW INDUSTRIES AND NEW JOBS TO THE AREA TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND BOOST PROSPERITY.” Ian Austin MP for Dudley North, July 2016

“BIRMINGHAM IS CREATING BUSINESSES AT A FASTER RATE THAN LONDON AS THE MIDLANDS CITY CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ITS ECONOMIC FORTUNES.” Andy Bounds & Sarah O’Connor, Financial Times December 2016

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“ALREADY A MAGNET FOR INVESTMENT FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, GREATER BIRMINGHAM IS REALISING ITS FAR-REACHING PLANS FOR GROWTH – WHILE OFFERING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTORS AND COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO FULFIL THEIR OWN AMBITIONS.”

Touchwood, Solihull

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invest@businessbirmingham.com businessbirmingham.com +44 (0) 121 202 5115 @business_bham

info@investblackcountry.com investblackcountry.com +44 (0) 8448 15 20 30 @invest_bc

investinukcentral.com ugcsolihull.uk +44 (0) 121 704 6151 @UKCentralComms

wmca.org.uk @WestMids_CA