Major structures are being put in place at HS2’s interchange station site near Birmingham Airport, after the preparatory work has almost has been completed.
The site, covering an area of 150 hectares, is located within a triangle of land formed by the M42, A45 and A452. Current work includes the construction of modular bridges over the M42 and A446, and remodelling of the road network in the area to facilitate access to the new station, as well as easing access to and from Birmingham Business Park.
Major regeneration plans around the site, being led by the Urban Growth Company, will support 70,000 new and existing jobs, 5,000 new homes and 650,000m2 of commercial space, generating an additional £6.2 billion (EUR 7 billion) GVA per year and bringing 1.3 million people to within a 45-minute commute of the station.
An Automated People Mover will link to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport, carrying up to 2,100 passengers per hour in each direction, with a link every three minutes along a 2.3 km route.
The focus at Interchange is on sustainability, during both construction and operation. The site is using solar panels to generate power for the site offices, and at least 90% of construction waste, demolition waste and excavated material is being reused.
The new station will be net zero carbon in operation, adopting the latest eco-friendly design and sustainable technologies including rainwater harvesting and sustainable power generation with more than 2,000 square metres of solar panels. It has been designed to focus on open space and landscaping, with new tree planting and a landscaped pond to encourage biodiversity.
There will be up to five trains per hour passing through the brand new interchange in both directions, with an estimated total of 175,000 seats per day, making this one of the best connected transport interchanges in the country and a new gateway to the UK.
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