Business leaders welcome £23m investment by BBC in Birmingham

THE BBC has pledged to invest £23.5m in Birmingham by making the city the home of its new digital innovation and skills training operation.

The corporation said the move would create more than 80 new jobs in the city – although all the positions will be filled by staff relocating from either London or Salford.

Nevertheless, business leaders have welcomed the move, saying it highlights the city’s growing reputation as a centre for innovation.

The investment had been expected as for some time following criticism of the BBC’s apparent lack of support for Birmingham by concentrating programme production in MediaCity in Salford.

Announcing the investment, BBC Director-General Tony Hall said: “I want to make Birmingham a really exciting and important part of what we do. This is just the start – but make no mistake, if you’re interested in new skills and digital innovation, this is the place to be.”

Entry-level training schemes, together with BBC apprenticeships will be operated out of Birmingham and the BBC has agreed in principle with the Arts Council, England that the city will become the new home for The Space, its pioneering digital arts partnership.  Teams from Birmingham will also make a substantial contribution to the BBC’s Shakespeare season in 2016.

A new digital innovation team will be developed in Birmingham, working with the Creative City Partnership and local talent to produce and deliver content in a new way. This is part of the BBC’s wider strategy to engage younger, more diverse audiences.

Finally, the BBC’s Outreach and Corporate Social Responsibility team, which works with local communities, will also be moving to Birmingham.

Hall also outlined how the Mailbox would become an open skills and development space for people and his overall aim was to build on the city’s growing reputation for cutting edge digital work.

Birmingham City Council and the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership both welcomed the show of support for the city.

Leader of the city council, Sir Albert Bore said: “The announcement from the BBC is encouraging news, and has resulted from 18 months of discussion about the corporation’s future role in the Birmingham.  

“Lord Hall’s initial decisions represent a clear signal of intent, and I am pleased that the direction of travel is future-focussed, with an emphasis on skills development and digital innovation.  

“This will support our economy to grow and create new opportunities, especially for young people.”

Anita Bhalla, chair of the Creative City Partnership within the GBSLEP, which has led on the discussions with the BBC, said: “GBSLEP has identified the creative sectors as key growth areas and our discussions have emphasised how our world-leading digital, creative and cultural sectors can support the BBC towards a digital and diverse future.  

“The BBC’s commitment to using Birmingham as the base to drive its digital agenda is a clear recognition of these strengths and recognises our potential in this area.  

“It will push the boundaries in digital production, putting this region in the forefront of these developments.”    

Neil Rami, Chief Executive of Marketing Birmingham, said:  “This underlines Birmingham’s growing reputation as a home of innovation, talent and a world class digital sector. Its commitment will help us attract the interest of new investors and give existing ones confidence that Birmingham is the place to grow their companies.”