Over the last 20 years, Birmingham has undergone a dramatic renaissance in all areas of city life. A multi-billion pound regeneration programme has successfully transformed the city into a vibrant regional capital with an increasingly important role on the national and international stage. Much has been made of the iconic developments in the city, in particular, the £545 million Bullring shopping complex that has transformed Birmingham into the UK’s third most popular shopping destination and of course, the on-going long-term regeneration of Eastside. The focus of this regeneration programme has now shifted towards the south-west of the city, where planned investment projects and initiatives equate to an impressive £1.84 billion. Concentrated in the vicinity of the main arterial A38 road, there are key drivers and strategic investments which are pushing forward the area’s renewal and growth. Selly Oak is just four years away from the most-up-to-date hospital facilities in Europe; Advantage West Midlands has identified the old BBC Pebble Mill site as a state-of-the-art Science Park and the expansion of the Battery Retail Park site will bring a huge new retail dimension to the area. Other developments include expansion at the University of Birmingham, major improvements to transport and housing through the Northfield area and redevelopment of the Rover works at Longbridge. Furthermore, the existing road infrastructure is going to be improved, with a new relief road planned to alleviate current pressures and reduce congestion on the current A38, the main thoroughfare through the area. New investment will create major job opportunities and help diversify the local economy and build upon existing assets. New quality shopping, leisure and community uses and better public and private transport will all transform the area. All of this regeneration is developing organically, driven by a number of key, but individual investments, concentrated on several important strategic sites. It heralds a new era in the history of this part of Birmingham and the city as a whole, a city that continues to pride itself on its dynamic approach and responsiveness to change in the urban environment of the 21st century.
Key Developments in the South West of Birmingham:
	Elmhurst School of Dance – £12 million investment in a dance centre of excellence
	Pebble Mill – a 400,000sq.ft flagship Science Park development on the old BBC studios site
	University of Birmingham - £250 million investment programme for the modernisation of facilities.
	Selly Oak New Road - £47 million investment in a 10-metre wide, 1.5km urban all purpose road.
	University Hospital Birmingham - £521 million, 1400 bed, 1,829,880sq.ft hospital facility.
	Battery Park – £100 million, 18 hectares mixed-use retail site.
	Northfield Relief Road – £17 million investment in dual carriageway, west of Bristol Road South.
	Northfield Improvements - £3 million investment in Northfield Baths & Victoria Common Park.
	Sainsbury’s Northfield - £10 million new store at southern end of Northfield centre.
	New Housing Initiatives - £243 million major estate regeneration programmes, such as Ley Hill.
	Longbridge Park & Ride - £9 million park and ride facility at Longbridge station.
	Longbridge - £100 million 935,000sq.ft high technology research & development facility on the old Longbridge Works site.
	Birmingham Great Park - £400 million, 81-hectare retail, leisure and business park.
	Parklands - £30 million, 12-hectares high-quality office development within Great Park site.