The set of pictures below are my contribution to an integrated group planning project conducted during my town planning masters degree. The plan "Planning for High Speed Rail at the Birmingham/Solihull" used land to the south of the NEC in Birmingham, where the government proposed a parkway station for high speed rail. The proposals that were detailed in the report underpinned a spatial holism, this is to say that we shun a boxedapproach to planning and instead planned positively for issuesthat are affecting the local area.

We underwent a process looking at the socio-economic context, the physical landscape, previous and current planning policy. A transport policy was also created which detailed extending an existent mono rail into the area from Birmingham International Train Station, redirection of bus routes and an extension to the NEC Shuttle Bus to cover this area. The proposals also included a reduction of open air car parking facilities at the NEC, in favour of a number of strategically located multistorey car parks.

Proposal
1.1.            TheMasterplan is taking into consideration the national, regional and localplanning context for the interchange site, the current economic situation andthe aspirations of both Birmingham and Solihull Councils when developing policyproposals and options for the site.
 
1.2.            At thismoment, the preliminary proposals for any policy and options for this siteconsist of:
 
•   NewHomes – Approx 1000 new households could be built on site.
 
•   Neweconomic development – land for the future expansion of the NEC should be madeavailable with the expansion of business parks, grade A office space for large,small and medium companies and space supporting services.
 
•   BetterPublic Realm - Well lit pedestrian walk ways, improved road crossings andpublic squares/spaces.
 
•   Expansionof the monorail and the NEC Shuttle Bus service to interchange station.
 
Three options were developed but i will be displaying the final masterplan here.