Our Future City Plan public consultation launched today

Birmingham: Businesses and communities across Birmingham are being called upon to help shape a bold new future for their city which has been launched today (26 January 2021).

Our Future City Plan: Central Birmingham 2040 ‘Shaping Our City Together’, was launched at a virtual event hosted by Estates Gazette, kickstarting the conversation on the future development of Central Birmingham over the next 20 years.

The ambitious strategy focuses on creating people-centred environments, opportunities for growth in emerging green industries, improving health and wellbeing through access to green spaces and making cycling and walking easier, safer and attractive.

A key aim of these proposals for the Central Birmingham area is to strengthen the links with the city centre and its integration with surrounding inner city suburbs such as Aston, Nechells, Balsall Heath, Small Heath, and Sparkbrook.

Public consultation on the proposed vision and strategy, which will be used to help inform the Our Future City Plan: Central Birmingham 2040 Draft Framework, due to be released in the autumn.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside wider environmental, societal and economic challenges has prompted the launch of this project, which will eventually replace the Big City Plan, the existing city centre masterplan launched in 2010.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Cllr Ian Ward, said: “As the main centre of development activity in our city over the last 30 years, investment in the city centre has provided jobs, homes, improvements to sustainable transport, new cultural destinations and educational opportunities.

“With the opportunities of HS2, expansion of the Midland Metro and the Commonwealth Games on the horizon, the city will continue to be a major regional, national hub and centre for international investment.

“This plan marks a major change from previous approaches to the city centre, with a clear intention to spread the benefits of development and investment into inner city areas, supporting access to infrastructure, jobs and improved public spaces.

“The release of an early engagement document such as this is intended to seek feedback from a wide spectrum of voices ranging from the individuals, organizations and communities to ensure all of Birmingham’s communities are shaping the city together.”

Ian Macleod, Acting Director of Inclusive Growth at Birmingham City Council, said: “This marks the start of a continuous engagement process to transform Central Birmingham into a green, prosperous and fair place. With the challenges of climate change and wider social and economic changes, the Shaping our City Together document proposes ambitious ideas that seek to deliver the solutions the city and its people need.”

Today’s launch event included a panel discussion on the plans, which also featured Philippa Gill (Director, Evora Global), Tony Brooks (Managing Director, Moda Living) Sara Wajid (Chief Executive of Birmingham Museums Trust), and Michael Davies, (Director of Planning, Savills).

Full details of the Our Future City Plan: Central Birmingham 2040 Shaping our City Together public consultation can be found on the Our Future City Plan webpage and Birmingham BeHeard. Details of virtual events and activities that will be taking place as part of this consultation will be added in due course.

Public consultation begins today (26 January) and runs until 26 March 2021. Feedback received will go on to inform the OFCP Central Birmingham 2040 Draft Framework to be released in autumn 2021 for further consultation.