Innovative Westside Partnership Set to Build on £1.8billion of Investment

November 21 2008

A consortium of influential Birmingham developers and Birmingham City Council have today announced an innovative partnership aimed at promoting the city’s Westside and building on the £1.8billion of investment already seen in this area over the past 15 years.

The area of the city centre defined as Westside covers New Street Station, through to Five Ways and Edgbaston.  It encompasses Paradise Circus, the Convention Quarter, Brindleyplace, The Mailbox, Broad Street, Edgbaston, and Park Central in Attwood Green, together with future landmark regeneration projects such as the new Library of Birmingham and New Street railway station.

With the emphasis on highlighting what has already been achieved throughout Westside and setting out the vision for the future, the Westside partnership has produced a brochure, targeted at attracting prospective funders and commercial occupiers to the west of the city.  The brochure represents the first major step towards collectively marketing Westside as a dynamic district and a major economic force in central Birmingham.

Gary Taylor, joint managing director of Argent (UK Developments), said: “The main driver behind the Westside initiative was to bring together those with a vested interest in the future of this key area, and to show a co-ordinated approach to marketing and attracting ongoing inward investment.  At this early stage, the level of commitment and support we have seen for Westside has resulted in many of the city’s most high profile ambassadors confirming their involvement in the partnership.  And with challenging economic conditions, it makes even more sense for the development community to work closely together and to stand united in promoting the city.

“The delivery of the Westside brochure and website is the culmination of months of collaboration behind the scenes.  We now have a coherent document that communicates exactly what Westside has to offer and the huge amount of potential that exists within its boundary.  The brochure plays on the diversity of facilities within Westside, showcasing the key attributes that give this area its very individual identity, whilst highlighting some of the city’s prominent leisure/ retail, residential and office schemes.  We also have a framework to work within that will see the Westside initiative continue to gather momentum, and ensure the area remains in the spotlight over the coming years.”

Part of the Big City Plan, the Westside boundary comprises £2.6billion of future development projects set to transform the area.

Cllr Neville Summerfield, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “Westside is an incredibly important initiative for many reasons, not least because it demonstrates the development community’s collective drive to be mobilised around a shared aim – to create a considerable force that can effectively promote this area of the city centre. 
“Birmingham City Council was keen to have a role in the project as Westside is at the heart of the Big City Plan, so there is a synergy around what we are all trying to achieve – to put Birmingham on the map as a global city and to highlight the way in which Westside will spearhead the city’s development into the 21st century.”

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