Design process

This large regeneration project has a complex history. Engineers had a profound influence on Birmingham starting from the 1960s, with the building of roads to bring fast, free-flowing traffic into the centre, including the inner ring road.

Coupled with redevelopment projects this seriously damaged the city's traditional urban form, and much of its rich Victorian and Edwardian character was lost. By the 1980s the decline of manufacturing and the council's desire to promote the city as a business tourism centre led to a City Centre Strategy (1987), endorsed the following year at the Highbury Initiative. Following this three day brainstorming event, strategies were produced by LDR Consultants for pedestrianisation and open space (1988), and by Tibbalds Colbourne Karski Williams for urban design (1989).

This City Centre Design Strategy, was incorporated, along with quarter plans, into the 1993 Unitary Development Plan before the public inquiry process, and its influence was further strengthened through merging BCC's newly created department of Planning and Architecture with its urban design division. BCC began its programme of 'quarter plans' in 1994 to preserve the city's best heritage while stimulating new development and activity, and, whether done by BCC itself or by external consultants, they share the same principles to involve local people in planning for real and create developer interest.

Before Highbury, BCC had identified the need to shift the inner ring road's emphasis towards serving the city centre as well as the quarters outside the ring, re-naming it 'The Queensway'. The first break in this 'concrete collar' was at Paradise Circus, with the lowering of the road and a new pedestrian bridge linking Centenary Square to the rest of the city. The building of the International Convention Centre, National Indoor Arena and Hyatt Hotel was followed by dramatic improvements to the canalside, and other major developments including commercial Brindleyplace and the new Victoria Square have taken place over the last 10 years as part of a policy of getting rid of traffic from the city centre.

Funding has come from many and varied sources with major projects supported by European funding representing a multi-billion pound investment programme in squares, pedestrian streets and remodelled roads, underwritten by BCC's mainstream capital budget and EU grants (nearly 50% of the total) plus BCC Planning Committee's City Centre Enhancement budget.