Background to the Plan
In 2006 the city council convened a Summit for the Future to examine ways in which to boost the economic growth and prosperity of Birmingham for all its citizens. The event focused on a number of themes that have helped to shape the masterplanning process:
- a global city
- a connected city
- a visible city
- a prosperous city
- a growing city
In 2006 the council commissioned Professor Michael Parkinson, of Liverpool John Moores University, to identify the key elements for Birmingham's city centre masterplan.
In 2007, Professor Parkinson's Visioning the City Centre Masterplan identified five drivers of competitiveness that now inform the Big City Plan:
- innovation and skills
- economic and cultural diversity
- connectivity
- strategic capacity with strong leadership and vision, and
- quality of place.
In August 2007, consultants Urban Initiatives were appointed to create and shape the masterplan. The mission was to involve communities and business in helping to recreate and revitalise Birmingham. More than bricks and mortar, the Big City Plan is about mobility, diversity, sustainability, creativity and supporting shared values.
