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Development plans for Birmingham’s NEC could create 10,000 jobs

by Stuart Wood

The NEC has laid out its ambitious plan to develop the NEC campus into “nec•city”, a project which could create 10,000 jobs.

The plans come following US investment firm Blackstone’s £800m acquisition of the NEC Group. The Group has identified potential to redevelop 75 hectares of land, creating 315,000sqm of new floorspace and up to 2,000 apartments.

NEC Group chief executive Paul Thandi commented: “We have ambitious plans to develop our business further. The Masterplan is an important element of that expansion, and builds on the excellent progress we have made over the last few years towards creating a truly world-class business, entertainment and leisure destination.”

The NEC recently completed a £4.5m renovation project, which included developing the new adventure/leisure complex Bear Grylls Adventure. EN had the chance to check out the new developments in October.

Other facilities around the NEC are also undergoing developments in the coming years. Birmingham Airport has invested £500m into a 15-year strategy, intended to increase passenger numbers by 40%.

And a new HS2 high-speed train station is under construction nearby, which will link Birmingham to major UK cities, including London, upon its completion in 2026.

NEC city hopes to also include a 224-bedroom Moxy Hotel, alongside the development of a residential community. The Group says its vision is to create “an internationally unique destination with global appeal that fuses entertainment, leisure, exhibition space, commercial and residential offers across a 175-hectare campus”.

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