A £95 million car park which will be built as part of the new HS2 Interchange station in Solihull has been given the green light. The nine-storey facility will contain 4,000 spaces, including 400 electric vehicle charging points, connected-autonomous vehicles and a 'mobility hub' featuring cycle and scooter hire.
There will also be an additional 500 surface-level parking spaces which could be turned into a second, 3,000-space, multi-storey car park if required in the future.
The original plans for that site contained proposals for a surface-level car park with 7,500 space but these have since been revised to the multi-storey building, therefore freeing up 74 acres of land for alternative development projects.
Interchange is one of four new stations being constructed as part of the first phase of the high-speed rail project between Birmingham and London, on land 1.2 miles east of Birmingham Airport next to the M42.
A wider, 346-acre scheme known as Arden Cross will be developed at the same site, containing up to 3,000 new houses, six million sq ft of commercial space and other public space and facilities, benefitting from the extra land freed up by the multi-storey car park. It is estimated that Arden Cross could create up to 27,000 new jobs.
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council leader Ian Courts said: "Maximising the obvious economic and employment benefits of HS2 coming to Solihull is a priority for the council but so is protecting and enhancing the distinctive character of our borough.
"Focusing on the efficient development of this key site will not only deliver new homes, jobs and investment but also help to relieve the pressure on other areas of our green belt in Solihull."
Jonathan Bretherton is managing director of the Urban Growth Company, the special-delivery vehicle set up by Solihull Council to maximise the growth opportunities associated with HS2's arrival.
He said: "We warmly welcome the council's decision to support this key part of the development of the new HS2 Interchange Station at Arden Cross. This decision is hugely significant in unlocking new jobs, opportunities and economic growth for the region - it is about so much more than just a car park.
"By freeing up more land for employment use on the Arden Cross site, we are facilitating a greater economic impact for the region."
Construction firm Vinci was announced as the design and build contractor for the project earlier in the year and is working alongside other Cundall, Associated Architects and Fira.
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