Plans have been lodged for a new, development-enabling multi-storey car park for the HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull.
The Urban Growth Company (UGC), the special-delivery vehicle set up by Solihull Council to maximise the growth opportunities associated with HS2’s arrival, has submitted a hybrid planning application seeking full consent for an initial car park and outline consent for a second.
As reported, Laing O’Rourke won the contract to build the station itself yesterday.
Located at the 140-hectare Arden Cross development site on the outskirts of Solihull, next to the M42 motorway and near the NEC, the proposal for the multi-storey car park is of the key enabler to unlock broader plans to create a new destination known as the UK Central Hub, to create thousands of new jobs and homes alongside new community spaces.
There is a pre-existing, legal requirement to provide car parking at this location and this was previously consented as 7,500 surface car park spaces. The UGC’s proposal is to consolidate those spaces in a phased multi-storey format, freeing up 30 hectares of land for high density development next to the station to create a vibrant destination consisting of homes and businesses.
The first of the multi-storey car parks would be constructed to support the opening of HS2 from 2029-2033. The structure would consist of approximately 4,000 spaces over nine floors, with the two lowest floors located below ground level, in addition to 500 surface level car parking spaces. This is possible as the site of a disused quarry has been selected as the site for the car parks, reducing their visual impact and making use of a location that would otherwise have been backfilled.
The second multi-storey, if required, would be eight storeys in height, with one storey below ground level. This would comprise approximately 3,000 spaces and would be located on the site of the first phase surface car park. This would be constructed in time for the opening of HS2’s later phases.
The proposals for both car parks take account of current and emerging requirements relating to electric vehicle charging, as well as connected-autonomous vehicles in the future.
Jonathan Bretherton, Managing Director at the UGC, explained the strategic importance of the UGC’s alternative proposal for parking: “This application is about so much more than a car park; it’s about what it enables. The UGC plans mean that we will enable the creation of a world-class opportunity for new homes and jobs right next to the new Interchange Station and minutes from the existing Birmingham International station and airport when the HS2 people mover opens.
“This application marks incredible progress made by the public and private sector partners we work with, and it wouldn’t be possible without the £50m grant from central government and the £45m loan facility from the West Midlands Combined Authority. That collective commitment underpins an ambitious plan to create a truly outstanding destination which delivers economic and social benefits as well as unrivalled connectivity.”
In November 2021, Vinci Construction UK was appointed by the UGC as its design and build contractor, with additional planning and architectural support being provided by Cundall, Associated Architects and Fira.
A series of in-person and online engagement activities have been undertaken since March 2022 and feedback has been incorporated into the final applications. A decision from Solihull Council is expected in November 2022.
