Building Brum x Solus

Commonwealth Games x City of Culture x Birmingham Future City Plan

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Solus Area Sales Manager Lee Simmonds

“The region has so much going for it and has always attracted both businesses and residency, but with so many exciting development plans in the works it can only do that more so.  It really is an awesome time to be a part of it.”

 

The Commonwealth Games (CWG) and City Of Culture (COC) both bring huge investment and create countless possibilities across so many industries. Tell me, how do you see the legacy of both these huge events impacting on the region and what opportunities do they present to feed into the Future City Plan released by Birmingham City Council this year?

The region has certainly got a platform in the next few years to show both nationally and internationally what it has to offer. 

Hopefully the pandemic does not have too much of an effect on Coventry, due to the City of Culture year being pushed back until May.  It’s such a great opportunity to boost the reputational improvement and visibility of a great city, and if you look back on previous host’s I think this has been achieved and most involved would do it again in a heartbeat.

The Commonwealth games can only reinforce development plans and put even more spotlight on the city, which I think will inevitably attract even more development opportunities.

WIt is interesting you say that. With the exposure the region will have over the next 3 years both as Capital of Culture and host of the Commonwealth Games, do you see this as a core driver for attracting new developers and also residence to the city and region?

Absolutely.  The region has so much going for it and has always attracted both businesses and residency, but with so many exciting development plans in the works it can only do that more so.  It really is an awesome time to be a part of it.

Are solus playing a role with the delivery of the commonwealth games or city of culture?

We certainly been in discussions and are hopeful to be yes.  It’s still early days from an interior standpoint which is where we come in, but I’ll of course continue to work with the people involved to offer our services.

Where do you see the city or even the region going from here? We have the CWG, COC, HS2 all happening. It feels like there is a huge change in the air. How will these major sporting and cultural events combined with one of the largest infrastructure projects affect the growth and trajectory that Birmingham is on as a major city player on the world stage? 

 It can only go from strength to strength with the platform it now has; a real snowball effect seems to have taken place with an almost endless stream of developments being planned.  It’s a real statement of intent to have all of this going on, along with some corporate powerhouses such as HSBC and PwC basing themselves in the City – it can only invite growth and it’s really exciting to be a part of.

Looking ahead at the next nine months of 2021, what are your expectations for the built environment in the year ahead?

With the likes of Paradise developing nicely and the Future City Plan being laid I can only see Birmingham’s development pipeline to continue to grow and it is clear that the Build to Rent boom will continue.  On a national level I believe other cities will follow suit and echo this, and as touched upon earlier logistics centres and transport hubs will continue to be a part of infrastructure plans.

What scheme are you most excited about right now taking place in the UK and what is it about the impact of this project that makes you take notice and follow its development story?

Well, I’m obviously biased, but it has to be Paradise.  I honestly think it is one of the UK’s most important city centre developments in a long time, with its mixed use of commercial, retail leisure and hotel space set within this area surrounded by these historical surroundings.  This type of development has only help reinforce other development plans within the city, having a domino effect which will result in an even more vibrant, diverse city that the people of Birmingham deserve.  

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