4.10.1
Original Document
Digital technologies have been a key driver in influencing society and shaping 21st Century living. Digital opportunities will need a 21st Century telecommunication infrastructure to become the ‘norm’ for city centre development, and changes in working, learning and social patterns need to be incorporated in the future spatial design. This will need a city centre that is equipped for the growth in information, data access and communication associated with the 21st century knowledge society. The city needs a ‘connected’ infrastructure that will support the city’s international competitiveness, sustain existing growth and attract new high value businesses and establish itself as a leading and iconic digital city.
Plain English Translation
Digital technology is key to how we will work, learn and socialise in the 21st century, so Birmingham city centre needs the digital infrastructure to support this change. Install the right infrastructure and it will help us be more competitive, attract well paid jobs and build a worldwide reputation for our digital skills.
Digital technology encourages networked collaboration, learning, business and government. This process is also about people meeting face to face and planning how they can change things. Any city that is rich in such networks needs to nurture them by recognising that physically it ought to be planning for streets that are interesting, buildings that a varied, a scale that is human.
This plan should think long and hard about how much grand scale development a truly networked city will need. If it does not, we made find the thinkers who are most tapped into the network go and do their thinking somewhere more curious.