The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has approved the creation of the Birmingham Mayoral Development Corporation, the biggest MDC in the country.
The MDC will be a new statutory body that will accelerate the delivery of major regeneration projects across the city, aiming to change the future lives of residents for generations to come.
The MDC will act as the key delivery vehicle for six major flagship regeneration projects, including the Central Heart programme that has been showcased to global investors at MIPIM.
Birmingham sets out vision for 5,000-home city centre transformation
The major projects the MDC will support and accelerate across Birmingham are:
Central Heart
Sports Quarter
Birmingham Knowledge Quarter
Digbeth
Smithfield
Curzon Street
The approval follows a consultation on the MDC proposal. The new MDC will bring together planning, land assembly, funding and delivery powers to speed up the transformation of key sites in the city.
It will also unlock new homes, jobs, skills opportunities and improved public spaces, while ensuring local communities benefit from the growth created.
The MDC is a statutory body and will bring together Birmingham City Council and the WMCA as a single delivery vehicle to speed up planning and infrastructure. The WMCA says that it will provide the focus and delivery capacity needed to turn the long-term vision and key projects into reality, giving investors confidence and communities clarity about what will be delivered and when.
The WMCA has also approved the designation of a wider East Birmingham North Solihull Mayoral Development Zone to amplify the MDC by coordinating wider strategic interventions across East Birmingham North Solihull such as public service innovation, skills, health and employment, decarbonisation and transport.
Birmingham City Council leader, Councillor John Cotton, said: “It’s fantastic news that Birmingham will have the biggest and most ambitious Mayoral Development Corporation in the country.”
“It will enable and accelerate developments in the heart of the city and in East Birmingham that will transform lives, creating tens of thousands of jobs, thousands of homes and adding billions to the local economy.”
Joanne Roney CBE, managing director of Birmingham City Council, said: “The MDC will strengthen our approach to regeneration, creating the conditions and opportunities for accelerated job growth, new homes, vibrant public spaces and sustained economic and social renewal.”
“It will act as a single delivery vehicle with a joint team that is accountable, commercially credible with the ability at pace to assemble land, accelerate planning, deliver infrastructure, and provide a clear interface for investors.”
“It provides additional capacity to accelerate ambitious plans underway and a single front door to align and attract investment to ensure the city centre connects, not just to London via HS2, but to the wider West Midlands.”
“The MDC provides a new relationship between council, WMCA and central government.”
Birmingham City Council will be taking a decision at its Cabinet on 17 March to affirm the MDC and then a submission will be made to the government and a statutory instrument laid before parliament expected early April, which would enable the MDC to be formally established in early May. Birmingham City Council will also work with the WMCA, government and local partners to finalise governance arrangements and implementation plans so the MDC can become operational as quickly as possible.
