Aston University has revealed plans for a new innovation cluster in the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter.
Aston University, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, and Bruntwood SciTech, revealed a masterplan for the Birmingham Innovation Quarter (B-IQ) yesterday at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF).
The plans cover 20 hectares of land around the University, and existing property and sites owned by the University and the council, including the former Aston Science Park and Bruntwood SciTech’s Innovation Birmingham campus.
It is understood that the three partners, soon to establish a joint venture, have commissioned Arcadis, Howells and a local team to develop the spatial framework for the masterplan.
Inside the scheme
B-IQ will become a tech and health innovatio hub, and will be a of Bruntwood SciTech’s established digital tech campus, Innovation Birmingham.
The masterplan will see the development of commercial office space for the science and tech sector, residential (both private and student), hospitality and several new teaching and research facilities.
Full Scope
Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between property company, Bruntwood, and Legal & General, has pledged to invest £1 billion into the West Midlands, building on its £30 million investment into Innovation Birmingham.
The innovation cluster aligns with Birmingham’s wider city masterplan Our Future City Birmingham – Central Framework 2040, the details of which are also set to be revealed at UKREiiF.
Arcadis and Howells will also be a part of this project, which aims to create up to 35,000 homes and 74,000 new jobs in five key areas around the city.
On the innovation cluster, Howells partner Partner Sandeep Shambi, said: “A mix of high-tech lab space, incubation hubs and workspaces will be complemented by new residential, cultural, leisure and retail uses to create a thriving, diverse place for collaboration and innovation.”
Birmingham City Council leader, Ian Ward, said: “This is an exciting new chapter as Birmingham strives to be a leading international city. It will generate significant investment, attracting the world’s brightest talent, while also creating opportunities in some of the city’s most deprived wards.”
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