The Birmingham Curzon HS2 Masterplan is being billed by the council as one of the biggest urban regeneration schemes in Britain.
Developments will be focused around the new city centre station – Birmingham Curzon – where HS2 terminates on its 49 minute journey from London.
Plans now out for consultation include the creation of more than 14,000 jobs, 600,000m2 of new employment floorspace and 2,000 new homes. It has been calculated that the regeneration could boost the city’s economy by £1.3bn a year.
The Curzon HS2 Masterplan comes on the back of the £600m transformation of New Street Station that will be completed next year along with a £128m Midland Metro extension linking the station with the existing tram line at Snow Hill.
Plans have also been tabled for a £450m transformation of Paradise Circus in the city centre, including a second Metro tram extension continuing on from New Street Station to Centenary Square.
http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/450m-birmingham-development-approved
Council leader Sir Albert Bore said: “We’re not waiting around for HS2 to get built before we get started. We’re announcing our plans today, and we’re ready to start building as soon as the new railway gets the green light.
“Up and down the length of HS2 there is huge potential for major regeneration and development and we must press forward with this project without delay.”
Birmingham Curzon station will be Birmingham’s HS2 hub, linking phase one of the project, from London to Birmingham, and phase two from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester.
The station would be served by Metro trams on a new route branching off the extension currently being built through the city centre.
Waheed Nazir, director for planning and regeneration at Birmingham City Council, said: “The Masterplan sets out the City Council’s aspirations for the new HS2 terminus station and the huge regeneration potential that surrounds it. The potential of HS2 can only be realised if we build a world class station that seamlessly connects people to the rest of the city centre.
The original Curzon Street station was one of oldest in the UK, and the first ever London to Birmingham service arrived there in September 1838.
The historic Grade I listed entrance of the old Curzon Street station will be revived as part of the Masterplan.
Construction is set to start on the HS2 line and stations in 2017 with the first passenger services arriving in Birmingham in 2026.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
