Vision, Leadership, Commitment, Delivery

“ Birmingham is a successful, confident and growing city – a global city with a local heart. As the regional capital at the heart of the City Region we are an economic engine for the UK growth agenda.

We offer a quality of life which is commensurate with the very best cities in Europe, at a price which puts us head and shoulders above the UK capital – from which we will be only 45 minutes away by train when HS2 is operating.

Birmingham has redefined what it means to be a modern global city. We cherish the historic links we have with our old, European partners, but we forge new friendships directly with the countries and cities that will be the growth nodules of tomorrow – Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, Beijing and Kuwait.

Similarly, we are proud of our own past, yet have a confidence in our future on a scale which makes other cities envious. We are investing in that confidence, with £6 billion of Public Sector finance currently committed to literally transforming the City and evolving it to the next level.

We are investing almost £200 million in our new Library of Birmingham, building the largest public library in Europe at a time when no other city can invest at these levels in cultural infrastructure. As a strategic move to underpin our successful relationship with the private sector, this alone will act as a catalyst for over £600 million of new private sector development.

Captured within our award winning Big City Plan we will lever in £14 billion of committed private sector investment as part of one of the largest city centre masterplans to ever be created.

This year, we will see the next phase of on-the-ground delivery in Birmingham; as we put flesh on the bones of our strategic masterplan – with innovative approaches to transport and street scene; as we start work on a £600 million station and the new Library; and as we open some of the most significant developments in Europe like the new £550 million Super Hospital.

All of our efforts are focussed on raising the quality of living in Birmingham – and making us one of the top 25 cities in the world. We are already making incredible progress – ranked as safest of all core cities, the best educated of all core cities, and considered the cleanest city and cleanest place by the UK Cleansing Council. However, our commitment towards excellence, and our belief that we will continue to build a better tomorrow, gives investors the confidence they need in coming to Birmingham.

These are tough economic times, and we are under no illusions about the challenges which public and private sector budgets will face. However, it is precisely these times when the truly great cities can show their mettle. There are opportunities galore at the moment, for the right investor, and the right development – to become the successes of the future that help define a city, and a generation, at the heart of one of Europe’s most exciting places to live, work and visit.”