Athletes’ village to form part of 3,000 new homes plan
The plans for the athletes’ village at the 2022 Commonwealth Games have been revealed, which will create 1,000 homes in Perry Barr.
The 60-acre site next to Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium, which includes Birmingham City University’s City North campus, will be transformed for the sporting event.
Birmingham was named as host city in December, replacing Durban who had previously been selected as hosts for the 2022 Games. The switch means Birmingham’s preparation time is more than two years shorter than normal, putting extra pressure on development work.
It is hoped the development will “act as a catalyst for a significant housing growth programme” that will result in 3,000 new homes in the area. This will form part of the city’s response to the requirement identified in the Birmingham Development Plan to build 50,000 homes by 2031.
Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council and chair of the Birmingham 2022 bid team, described the athletes’ village as “the largest new-build element of the Games”.
He said: “[It] will help rejuvenate Perry Barr and the wider surrounding area, meaning there will be a meaningful and lasting legacy for the people of Birmingham, in particular those living near the heart of the action in 2022.
“We have a desperate need for high-quality housing in the city and it would have been much trickier to meet that demand if we had not been successful in our bid to host the Games.”
Up to 6,500 competitors and officials will be housed in approximately 1,000 new homes in the village, which will be a mile from the Alexander Stadium. The accommodation will be a mix of one and two-bed apartments as well as three and four-bed town houses.
After the Games, the village accommodation will be converted and become available as a mixture of homes for sale and market rent as well as for social and affordable rent.
There are plans to invest in wider infrastructure in the surrounding area, including a new bus interchange, the introduction of a rapid bus service along the A34, and work to upgrade Perry Barr railway station.
