5,000 homes planned for urban village at the NEC

Plans have been launched for 5,000 new homes to be built on land around the the National Exhibition Centre as part of a new urban village.

The redevelopment plan also includes a new hotel, primary school, and restaurants and cafes - with 3,500 jobs expected to be created through through the project.

The ‘NEC masterplan’ will include the transformation of over 27 hectares of surface level car parking and surplus land, to create the new residential, office, leisure and community spaces.

The urban village will include a mix of homes and include a range of new services such as the school, a mobility hub, and a local centre with shops, as well as cafes and community space.

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

What else is included in the plans?

In addition to the urban village will be a new grand plaza and urban boulevard designed to enhance the attractiveness of the NEC Campus.

Connecting the site with Arden Cross and the High Speed 2 Interchange, the urban boulevard will extend a 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.

Working with the existing mature woodland and hedgerow landscape, the urban village will promote nature focused and active lifestyles, according to the NEC.

Located within the UK Central Solihull Hub Area, the NEC Campus is part of one of the fastest-growing labour markets in the UK, with notable sectors including automotive manufacturing, business and professional services, and leisure and entertainment.

With access to road, rail and air travel, the area has very good local, national and international connectivity, which the NEC says will be further enhanced by the arrival of High Speed 2 (HS2), with a new Interchange Station being built at Arden Cross adjacent to the NEC Campus.

What’s been said about the development?

NEC Group CEO, 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.”

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

“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 Masterplan 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.”

Leader of Solihull Council, Councillor Ian Courts, said: “The Masterplan unveiled today sets out a bold and ambitious vision for the future of the NEC Campus in Solihull.

“By utilising brownfield land the plans provide additional housing to meet the growing local demand without sacrificing our precious greenbelt. The proposed developments will not only bring much needed new homes but will see thousands of new jobs created, and further enhance the already unmatched overall destination offer found here.

Have your say on the plans

The city council is encouraging people to make their thoughts known about the redevelopment through a six-week public consultation.

The consultation ends on 24th December 2021.

You can have your say here.

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