Birmingham as a key city for investment was the message reinforced this week during a visit to the city by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond.
Addressing a cross sector of Birmingham business leaders at a round table discussion, chaired by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, the Chancellor emphasised Birmingham’s recent surge in inward investment, ongoing transformation and new-found confidence. But, he said, to maintain the momentum and ensure the city continues its upwards spiral as a UK powerhouse, Government and businesses must work together, ensuring workers in the region are equipped with the technology, skills and training to help the region and the industry moving forward.
Before joining the round-table, held at Colmore Tang Construction’s city centre headquarters, the Chancellor joined Mr Street to tour one of Birmingham’s key current residential development sites, one of SevenCapital’s sites within its flagship 600-apartment St George’s Urban Village in the city’s Jewellery Quarter. Having made recent announcements around further investment in housing, he was keen to see an active site and good progress being made across the city where apartments form an import part of the overall housing land supply.
Phil Carlin, managing director at SevenCapital, who played host to the Chancellor and the Mayor along with Colmore Tang CEO Andy Robinson, said: “The Chancellor reinforced his long-held view that Birmingham’s rightful second city status would only ever be fully realised with a credible, cohesive and inclusive leadership. We now have that in the form of Andy Street and with a clear plan of attack the mayor has the full support of central government where appropriate”.
“Over recent years Birmingham has shaken off its previous stigmas and is emerging confidently to take centre stage, not just within the UK, but in front of the world. The city and surrounding region is currently attracting record levels of investment from businesses and individuals and with significant coups such as the Commonwealth Games coming up in 2022, that is only set to continue.”
Acknowledging SevenCapital as a key developer contributing to the transformation of the cities landscape, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “Across the West Midlands SevenCapital and Colmore Tang are playing a crucial role in the regeneration of our region, providing vital homes and bringing back into use many landmark buildings. The Chancellor and I hugely enjoyed visiting SevenCapital’s brilliant Kettleworks development.”