New masterplan and Levelling-Up Fund bid to transform Edgbaston Stadium

Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Birmingham City Council have formally launched a bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund for a new masterplan to transform Edgbaston Stadium.

The “Edgbaston Stadium and Community Masterplan” will create a mixed-use destination, realising the legacy of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The renewed stadium would combine elite sport, conferencing and events with community assets in order to improve health and social care, education, employment and social cohesion in the area.

Proposals include a new stadium-based multi-use community hub with the potential for an NHS walk-in centre, as well as a second community hub at the former Police Station site in Quinton.

The Edgbaston piazza will provide a venue for community markets, open-air screenings and more, as well as becoming a natural home for other cultural events like Eid and Diwali celebrations.

Masterplan partners include Compass Group UK & Ireland, who will be investing in Learning, Development & Apprenticeship Centres.

There would be dedicated cycling and walking routes linking communities in Balsall Heath, Sparkbrook and Highgate to the stadium, Midlands Arts Centre and Cannon Hill Park, as well as improving walking and cycling links with the city centre.

An on-site hotel is also being considered, linked to the redevelopment of the existing Raglan and Priory stands, which will serve the stadium’s growing conference and events business, as well as providing accommodation during major sporting events.

The new stands will also increase capacity.

The new Masterplan and Levelling-Up fund bid were launched by politicians from both main political parties with Birmingham City Council leader Cllr Ian Ward, West Midlands Combined Authority Mayor, Andy Street, and Edgbaston MP Preet Gill and Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s CEO Stuart Cain.

Cain said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our stadium and Community Masterplan and its associated funding bid. They will transform Edgbaston Stadium into a truly mixed-use community destination.

“Edgbaston is one of the world’s best-loved cricket grounds, having been the backdrop for great sporting drama for nearly 140 years. These proposals help realise the legacy of the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games, creating a welcoming place for our whole community to enjoy.”

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