News Articles

Accelerated Development Zones – City Region Leads the Way

The City Region is pioneering an innovative new way of funding transformational economic change through Accelerated Development Zones that could lead to the creation of 44,000 new jobs.

The City Region Board meeting on 28th January received a financial and technical feasibility study from PricewaterhouseCoopers for a cross border ADZ to fund a series of transport infrastructure projects.  Following the meeting Board Chair Cllr Mike Whitby wrote to the Prime Minister seeking his support for the City Region to pilot the introduction of ADZs across the country.

Cllr Whitby said: “The City Region’s ideas for an ADZ are both radical and unique. We are working with a concept based on evidence from Chicago, made relevant to the UK economy through the work of Core Cities and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

ADZs would define areas for development which would attract business investment. Borrowing by the City Region to support the funding of the development would be paid back through retaining a percentage of the new business rates generated.

Cllr Whitby outlined in the letter to Gordon Brown details of several projects that could form the basis of the ADZ.  These would speed up the development of critical infrastructure schemes and drive economic growth in the City Region.

Eight schemes across the City Region have been developed for inclusion in the ADZ proposition to Government: Birmingham Eastside; Birmingham Wholesale Markets/Southern Gateway; Bordesley Park; Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension Rapid Transit Scheme; City Centre – Airport Rapid transit Scheme; M6 J10 improvements; M5 J2 improvements; and i54 Wolverhampton. Other schemes for inclusion in the ADZ will be considered in the future.

City Region officers are engaged in a dialogue with Government over the powers that would be required for the introduction of ADZs.  City Region Project Director Simon Murphy adds

“Our detailed study shows that a cross border ADZ is feasible, and that it would boost competitiveness and employment in the City Region.  It would also position the City Region strongly to respond to a future economic upturn and contribute to the regional and national recovery”.

The letter to the Prime Minister and the ADZ Summary study can be accessed on the City Region website.