At a meeting earlier today, the Birmingham bid company reviewed a feasibility study produced by consultants Origin and decided it would be in the best interests of Birmingham and the wider region to put forward a proposal to stage the event, last staged in England in 2002.

The city had initially been preparing a study for the 2026 Games, but the plans were brought forward following the news Durban would no longer be staging the 2022 Games as planned in South Africa.

Exact details of the Birmingham feasibility study have to remain confidential at this stage whilst the report is taken through the cross-party political and democratic processes of the city council. The study will then form part of a public report to the council Cabinet in the coming weeks, at which point everyone with an interest in the proposed bid will be able to analyse its merits.

It is understood the merits of formal proposals from across the UK will be considered before the selection of a candidate bid to compete against rivals from other Commonwealth nations for the honour of staging the games. The Commonwealth Games Federation, which administers the event on an overall basis, is expected to make a final decision on the replacement 2022 host by “mid-summer” of this year.

Cllr Ian Ward, Chair of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bid Company, said: “We now have confirmation from our consultants that a Birmingham bid for the Commonwealth Games would have a very strong chance of success.