Birmingham masterplan promises to double active travel and green spaces

Birmingham City Council has launched a masterplan hailed as the city’s most important strategy this century which will shape development over the next 20 years and transform Birmingham into a greener city of more jobs, better transport options and higher quality, energy efficient homes.

Delivery of Our Future City: Central Birmingham Framework 2040 would double the city’s green spaces to a level comparable with Vienna and double Birmingham’s network of active travel routes to 200km – the same level of healthy transport infrastructure as in Copenhagen.

The framework, which has been developed with technical support from Arcadis as lead consultants and architect Howells outlines the potential to create 74,000 new jobs – an 80 per cent increase on the city centre's current employment capacity, as well up to 35,000 new homes for Birmingham’s young and growing population.

And, by creating vibrant new neighbourhoods, there would be a doubling in population density, bringing Birmingham into line with other major European cities, but with a pledge that the concrete bound mistakes of the past will not be repeated.

This plan also marks a major change from previous approaches to the city centre, with a clear intention to spread the benefits of development and investment beyond the Inner Ring Road, supporting access to infrastructure, jobs and improved public spaces.

In addition the framework is seen as critical to meeting some of the city’s major challenges including unemployment which is double the national average, the ten-year gap in life expectancy between the poorest and most affluent areas in the city and the fact that over 40 per cent of Birmingham’s children grow up in relative poverty.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council said, “Our Future City: Central Birmingham Framework will create a city that works for the people and communities of Birmingham.

“Like all great cities, Birmingham forever reinvents itself and our transformation is never-ending. Even so, our emergence in recent years underlines why I've labelled this a Golden Decade of opportunity for the businesses, people, and communities of Birmingham.

“Now this framework, the most important strategy for Birmingham this century, is set to supercharge our quest to be a leading international city.”

Simon Marks, Birmingham and Midlands City Executive for Arcadis added, “The scale and nature of the proposed transformation has not been seen in over a century. Moreover, inclusive growth is at its heart where the communities and citizens of Birmingham will directly benefit from the transformation.

Howells Partner Glenn Howells said the framework “represents a once in a generation ambition for equitable growth for Birmingham.

“The city is setting ambitious targets to double its green space, double its active travel routes and half its pollution levels – for the benefit of all its current and future residents while delivering on homes and jobs in emerging sectors.

“As Howells, we are located and invested in the heart of this industrious city and have worked in partnership with the council and Arcadis team to develop an inclusive framework that we believe will establish a clear, city-scale ambition for the next 20 years of economic and social growth. Our goal is for Birmingham to set a benchmark for transformative change that builds on its strong history, demonstrating what the future can hold for any growing city striving to create a sustainable future for all.”