About the programme
East Birmingham has over 309,000 residents with a third aged 17 years and under. It is an area of immense diversity and opportunity with a network of vibrant communities, rich heritage, and an array of green spaces. It is a place with major challenges but also a wide range of opportunities.
Much of the area is in the top 20% most deprived areas in England. This means that income, unemployment, health, education, housing, crime and the living environment are generally poorer than elsewhere in the country. However, East Birmingham has great potential to flourish, with:
- important transport connections, existing and planned
- numerous development sites
- areas of historic importance
- nationally recognised industry
- a network of urban villages
Together with neighbouring North Solihull, East Birmingham is an important location for:
- business
- commerce
- industry
- innovation
These 2 areas form the East Birmingham and North Solihull (EBNS) area.
The programme
The East Birmingham Inclusive Growth Programme was established in 2021 to deliver the vision and objectives of the East Birmingham Inclusive Growth Strategy (EBIGS). The strategy sets out the council’s major planned infrastructural investments, including HS2 and the Midland Metro extension to Solihull.
Find out more about the East Birmingham Inclusive Growth Strategy
The programme has 3 main parts:
- working with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) – to establish East Birmingham and neighbouring North Solihull (EBNS) as a national priority for regeneration and to secure sustainable funding for future phases
- building partnerships, joint investment opportunities and collaborations with local and national organisations – creating new opportunities to bring positive change to East Birmingham
- planning and developing projects – to deliver “quick wins” and working together to create new approaches to inclusive growth delivery that can be scaled up in the future
Since 2021 the East Birmingham Programme has:
- secured over £55 million direct funding for delivery and projects, many of which are still in delivery
- built powerful partnerships and collaborations
Working with West Midlands Combined Authority and government, the council has also secured new Special Economic Zones to support the regeneration of the area, with a combined value of £1.14 billion by 2049.
Page last updated: 10 October 2025
