This latest report from HS2 Ltd – From trains to cranes: HS2 and the West Midlands’ development boom – outlines the economic benefits HS2 is bringing to the West Midlands, specifically the value of regeneration and investment activity close to HS2’s two local stations (Birmingham Curzon Street and Interchange) and Network Control Centre (Washwood Heath).
Commenting, HSRG Chair Dyan Perry said:
“We’ve seen the kind of economic benefits the project has already delivered for Birmingham. It could do the same for Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. The increased investment and opportunity we’re seeing in the West Midlands could also be seen in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and West Yorkshire. HS2 spreads prosperity right along the line of route – that is the single biggest reason to commit to delivering it beyond the West Midlands and into the north. This report represents concrete evidence of the benefits of HS2 beyond shortened journey times: planning applications surging, planned residential units skyrocketing, and the value of projects soaring. This surge in activity in the West Midlands, amidst wider economic uncertainty exacerbated by inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the resilience and the scale of opportunity of high speed rail.”
The report details how the HS2 project is already delivering a positive economic legacy in the West Midlands, with a significant increase in regeneration and investment activity already being seen around the two HS2 stations in Birmingham. HS2 is now poised to inject £10 billion into the region over the next decade, creating thousands more jobs and homes, creating opportunities for local people and regenerating Birmingham’s status as a creative and cultural destination.
As this report demonstrates, HS2 is not just a railway project; it is a catalyst for economic transformation and prosperity. As construction progresses at an unprecedented pace, the economic benefits are already being seen in the West Midlands. The numbers speak for themselves: 30,000 jobs already created, and 3,200 UK companies working on the project. In the six years since HS2 gained Royal Assent, the West Midlands has attracted more inward investment than any region outside London and the South East. Investors, both local and international, are already seizing the opportunities HS2 presents, driving regeneration and investment across the West Midlands.
You can read the full report here; HS2 from trains to cranes report