Commonwealth Games legacy in Birmingham: £60 million boost for Birmingham as Alexander Stadium plans unveiled

One of the most successful Commonwealth Games ever was delivered in Birmingham - £60m under budget.

Now the government has announced that this underspend will be invested in the West Midlands to “enhance the legacy of the brilliant Commonwealth Games” this year.

More than half the UK’s population  (46%) of adults in the UK said they had watched, followed online, or got involved in an event for the Birmingham 2022 Games, according to IPSOS

Now the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced that it is working with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Birmingham City Council to capitalise on the success of the Games and help more people engage with sport and culture in the region.

The government department has stated that the £60m will be allocated to boost inward business investment and tourism to help drive further economic growth.

Where has the money come from?

The Commonwealth Games was backed by £778 million of public funding, providing the West Midlands with a refurbished athletics stadium in Perry Barr and a brand-new aquatics centre in Smethwick. Alongside these world-class venues, the £60 million investment will support the region’s ambition to host future major events.

This investment builds on existing legacy programmes already being rolled out. In partnership with DCMS, Sport England will continue to boost access to sport through a Birmingham 2022 kit giveaway. 16,000 items from basketballs to bibs will be gifted to West Midlands community groups in the coming months.

So what about Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr?

Birmingham City Council unveiled plans which they say will “secure a lasting, positive, legacy for the renovated Alexander Stadium and surrounding parkland at the heart of the 2040 Perry Barr masterplan.

The Alexander Commonwealth Games legacy plans include:

• Extended and enhanced gym and leisure facilities within the Stadium complex;
• A new visitor centre and café located in Perry Park;
• New physical activity installations/external play facilities for all ages in the Park;
• Delivery of new pathways and cycle routes around the Park.

Work to remove the temporary overlay and structures that were put in place for the Commonwealth Games is ongoing. Some activity, such as gymnastics classes at the Gymnastics and Martial Arts Centre, has already resumed at the wider Stadium site, which is also home to Birchfield Harriers athletics club – whose members will benefit from the new world-class facilities too.

If approved, the programme of works will be carried out in phases, that will be completed between early 2023 and spring 2024.

What has Birmingham City Council said about the legacy funding and plans for the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr?

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I am pleased the unspent money allocated to deliver the biggest and best event staged in Birmingham’s history will be retained in the city and wider region to strengthen the Games’ legacy. It is only fair that our robust financial management is recognised in this way.

“Despite a shortened delivery timescale and the COVID-19 pandemic, the council and other Games Partners demonstrated strong financial governance and still put on an unforgettable show that positively promoted the city on the global stage, kickstarting a Golden Decade of opportunity for the people and businesses of Birmingham.

In regards to the Alexander Stadium legacy plans Cllr Ward said: “The redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium was always about much more than the eleven days of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games sport, which were so glorious and memorable.

“Through these proposals, we have an investment programme that will ensure the venue and its surrounds have a broad range of uses for everyone from the people of Perry Barr to students to elite sports performers.

“The old Alexander Stadium struggled to have a meaningful year-round purpose – but our legacy from this redevelopment is to address that shortcoming and for Birmingham to be home to the premier athletics facility in the UK.”

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