1.1 Birmingham's ambitions

1.1.1

Plain English Version

We want Birmingham to be known around the World, as well as being important within the Midlands. We believe that growth (in size and getting richer) is important. In the next 20 years it’s estimated that the number of people in Birmingham will go up to 1.1million, we will need even more facilities to become better in comparison to other cities in the World.

We want Birmingham to be in the top 20 “most liveable” (best to live in) cities in the World, to do this we need to develop a way for Birmingham to be seen by the rest of the World, and also making the city a good place to live.

Original Document

Birmingham’s ambition is to be a ‘global city with a local heart.’ Birmingham aims to develop a global role in addition to its position as a regional capital. Growth is a key element of this plan. The city will grow considerably during the next 20 years to at least 1.1 million. Economic, social, cultural and educational facilities will need to grow even more to establish the city’s global role. Birmingham also aspires to be among the top 20 most liveable cities in the world within 20 years. This means developing a global economic and cultural role for Birmingham whilst nurturing the potential of everyone in the city and promoting a productive, innovative and welcoming environment for residents, visitors and investment.

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1.1.2

Plain English Version

The Council are already trying to make Birmingham better. We held a conference in the year 2005 called “Birmingham – City of the Future”. At this conference Professor Michael Parkinson of Liverpool John Moores University said that Birmingham has made a good start, but needs to carry on getting better.

Original Document

Birmingham – City of the Future

The City Council and its partners have made a number of steps towards turning this ambition into reality. The ‘Birmingham – City of the Future’ Conference was held in 2005. During this conference Professor Michael Parkinson of Liverpool John Moores University described Birmingham as having a brilliant first act, but suggested that it now needed to open its second act.

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1.1.3

Plain English Version

We asked Professor Michael Parkinson to write a report on how Birmingham could achieve its aims. He recommended that we should create a plan for the city centre — and that it should look at five things in particular. They are:

Original Document

Professor Parkinson was subsequently commissioned to ‘Vision the Masterplan’ to set the framework for the Big City Plan. His report recommended that careful thought be given to the best way to fund and deliver change in the city centre. He recommended that the Big City Plan should address five drivers of competitiveness, as follows:

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1.1.4

Plain English Version

Innovation and skills – the universities, the council and business need to be better at working together.

Original Document

Innovation and skills – There needs to be better working between the universities, the local government and the private sector.

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1.1.5

Plain English Version

Economic and cultural diversity – Birmingham’s city centre should have more and different types of buildings, cultural facilities (for example, art galleries, or theatres), public spaces, shops and services. Especially those that appeal to the young or minority ethnic groups.

Original Document

Economic and cultural diversity – Birmingham’s city centre should become more diverse for residents or visitor in its architecture, public realm, cultural facilities, heritage, retail offer, services, especially for young and minority ethnic groups.

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1.1.6

Plain English Version

Connectivity – Birmingham has problems that it must solve, especially making places accessibile to all, travel around the city cente, digital (computer and other technology) connectivity and its transport and other links with other cities such as London.

Original Document

Connectivity – Birmingham must address critical issues, including accessibility, internal mobility, digital connectivity and connections and its relationships with London and other major centres of population and business.

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1.1.7

Plain English Version

Strategic capacity – Birmingham needs good leaders, a good plan, and to be good at working with other buisnesses and other organisations.

Original Document

Strategic capacity – Birmingham needs strong leadership, vision and a long term integrated and partnership approach to development.

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1.1.8

Plain English Version

Quality of place – Birmingham city centre should have more variety, be less polished show more and different cultures and be more friendly to young people.

Original Document

Quality of place – Birmingham city centre should become more diverse, more authentic and gritty, more multicultural, more friendly to young people.

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1.1.9

Plain English Version

These ideas were worked on and became part of the Big City Plan.

Original Document

The contents of these recommendations have been at the heart of the subsequent work on the Big City Plan. The concepts contained in Professor Parkinson’s report were further developed in a Big Ideas Event held in November 2007 and in the development of a charter for the Big City Plan.

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1.1.10

Plain English Version

The Council held a an event called ‘the Big Ideas Event’ in November 2007. Ideas for the future of the city centre were discussed by a  group consisting of a team of international experts and what we’ve called the “Big City Team” (a group of young people from Birmingham interested in shaping its future). This event helped produce the “Big City Charter” on which the ideas behind the “Big City Plan” are based.

Original Document

The Council held a first stakeholder event (the Big Ideas Event) in November 2007. Ideas for the future of the city centre were discussed and shaped by a stakeholder group consisting of a team of international experts together with the newly-formed Big City Team, a group of young people from Birmingham interested in shaping its future. Following this event, the Council published its Big Ideas Charter. The Charter is a statement of intent for the city centre, which will help to define strategic objectives for the Big City Plan.

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1.1.11

Plain English Version

The ten global themes suggest how Birmingham can work towards the aim of being an important city in the World.

Original Document

The ten global themes within the Charter suggest how Birmingham can pursue its ambitions to operate and compete successfully within the global competitive market.

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1.1.12

Plain English Version

There are also ten local ideas which are for the people of Birmingham who work in or and use Birmingham’s city centre in any way.

Original Document

The Charter also sets out ten local ideas which will appeal to the everyday concerns and the future aspirations of the million or so people who live, work and use Birmingham’s city centre. The ideas cover the broadest cross section of interests.

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