Greater Birmingham LEP delivering on pledges of growth – Street

MORE than £47m has been awarded to projects across Greater Birmingham and Solihull, helping to create new jobs, build new homes and unlock vast swathes of commercial development space.

The upbeat message was delivered to an audience at Birmingham Town Hall attending the annual general meeting of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

In all, the LEP said the funding, awarded as part of its £379m Growth Deal, had created 32,000 jobs, built 10,000 new homes and unlocked 500,000m² of commercial floor space.

The GBSLEP is one of the few LEPs in the country to spend its total funding allocation for 2015/16.

So far a total of 33 projects have been awarded funds, ranging from £210,000 to South and City College for training facilities for trainee electricians, mechanics and engineers, to £3.15m to support the £15m Midland Metro Catenary-Free project, which will see Birmingham become the first city in the UK to use cutting-edge battery technology that will remove the need to have attached overhead power lines for their trams.

The Local Growth Fund was established by central government to support projects that boost jobs, skills, housing and commercial floor space.
The GBSLEP approves funding for projects and oversees the full programme of activity, with Birmingham City Council acting as accountable body.

Other schemes supported by the Local Growth Fund include the Hoobrook Link Road infrastructure project in Kidderminster with £3.6m and the purchase of a BAe Jetstream plane for student training and development at Solihull College’s Aerospace Academy.

The audience was told that over the next 12 months, a further £49m has been allocated to support initiatives that bring forward new housing and commercial space developments, as well as boost skills. This includes £9m to unlock small pockets of land for the development of housing, across the LEP region.

In addition, the LEP has also provided £2.4m for the Friarsgate development in Lichfield city centre.

Andy Street, Chair of Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, told the meeting: “We are at a pivotal point in the delivery of real economic change across the region. The results of our strategy are now being felt on the ground with Local Growth Fund investments progressing across our geography – from Solihull and East Staffordshire, to Cannock Chase and Birmingham.

“Backing these projects shows how the collaboration between the public, private and education sector can drive productivity and increase skills and employment across the region.”

Welcoming the announcement, Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said:  “This is clear confirmation that the Local Growth Fund initiative, administered by the LEP, is a vital element in providing a sustainable and ultimately prosperous economy for the region.

“This award of £47m will create 32,000 jobs at a time when there are still many challenges facing the economy, with considerable uncertainties domestically and globally.

“And it is fantastic news that it will help provide 10,000 new homes in the region when there is so much demand for new housing across the nation.

“I believe this demonstrates beyond doubt that the LEP can help drive the regional economy by playing a key role in an initiative such as the Local Growth Fund.”

The AGM also heard how major investments, such as HS2, the extension of the city centre Enterprise Zone, as well as the move to devolve political powers to the West Midlands Combined Authority, were an important indication of the level of confidence central government has in region.