Major NEC plan will create 3,500 jobs and 5,000 homes

The redevelopment plan will transform more than 27 hectares of surface level car parking and surplus land, to create new residential, office, leisure and community spaces.

The site is currently home to the UK’s largest exhibition venue – including the NEC, the Vox Conference Venue, Resorts World Arena, Resorts World Birmingham, The Bear Grylls Adventure and a number of hotels.

Overall, the plans are set to create 5,000 homes, an estimated 3,500 jobs, 35,000 sq metres of commercial space, 14,000 sq metres of new outdoor event space, a new hotel, restaurants and cafes and a primary school.

It also involves creating a greener and more sustainable environment on the campus.

The new 5,000 homes will form a new urban village located in the north of the site, and are set to establish a community for more than 11,000 people. The village will include a mix of homes and include a range of new services and amenities.

As one of the nation’s largest brownfield residential development opportunities, the site will make a major contribution to meeting housing needs.

In addition to the urban village will be a new grand plaza and urban boulevard. The plaza will redefine the area surrounding the NEC’s atrium halls.

Connecting the site with Arden Cross and the High Speed 2 Interchange, the urban boulevard will extend an inspirational pedestrian focused public realm from the NEC Piazza to a new bridge link over the M42. The urban boulevard will host a series of commercial buildings with ground floor retail and leisure space.

The NEC is owned by The Blackstone Group, one of the world’s leading investment firms.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Ian Ward, which owns the land the NEC Campus is situated on, said: “This is an exciting moment for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, as this transformational master plan is published. Birmingham is attracting record levels of investment, and the NEC master plan 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.

“I believe that we are at the beginning of a golden decade for Birmingham, with the Commonwealth Games taking place next year, and the arrival of HS2. The NEC master plan will connect the site with Arden Cross and the High Speed 2 Interchange, which together will transform this area, creating thousands of jobs and build thousands of homes.”

Lionel Assant, European Head of Private Equity at Blackstone, said: “This is brilliant news for the West Midlands. We are proud of our partnership with the NEC Group, and today’s announcement shows the positive impact this business has for local job creation and urban regeneration.”

NEC Group chief executive 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.

“The NEC Campus sits within a major engine of economic growth in the UK, recognised as one of the best-connected development zones in Europe. This Masterplan unites corporate ambition with global purpose, setting out our vision whilst considering eco and socially responsible practices. The NEC Group is committed to working in partnership with our landowners Birmingham City Council, to unlock the full and exciting potential of the site.”

The master plan will be subject to a six-week period of public consultation running from today to Christmas Eve.

Following public consultation, the plan will be updated in response to comments and feedback.

Following publication of the final master plan, the process to select a development partner for the first phase of the urban village will start.