City council seeking opinion on redevelopment.
Public consultation is to be carried out on a blueprint setting out how a key area of Birmingham will be redeveloped into an Advanced Manufacturing Hub which would create job opportunities for city residents, attract greater investment and boost economic growth across the region.
The 20-hectare site, which occupies a strategic location adjacent to Junction 6 of the M6 and the A38 Aston Expressway, is one of six economic zones with the city, alongside the Enterprise Zone, the Environmental Enterprise District, the Food Hub, the Life Sciences Campus and Longbridge ITEC Park.
A draft framework document setting out how the AMH will be developed over a 15-year period is to go out to public consultation.
The site will be offered to the market in three phases, with the majority of the first phase – comprising 10.5 hectares – ready for development. A major occupier has already been secured for this part of the site and will deliver a new 10,000 sqm facility and 500 new and safeguarded jobs.
Cllr Tahir Ali, Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Development, Transport and the Economy, said: “This exciting development captures the importance of the advanced manufacturing sector to Birmingham and the West Midlands and will provide opportunities for the growing automotive supply chain as well as other advanced manufacturing activity, which is forecast to accelerate given the successful performance of this industry across the region.
“With high quality sites that meet the needs of the market, Birmingham can nurture growing businesses, stimulate inward investment and generate much needed employment opportunities for both local communities and the wider region.
“Birmingham City Council will work in partnership with education and training providers to ensure that future employees are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to secure employment locally in the advanced manufacturing sector. In the meantime, we will be asking the public for their views on the framework setting out our vision for the Aston site, over the next 15 years.”