Birmingham 2022: Work under way on Commonwealth Games athletes village

A ground-breaking ceremony was staged yesterday at the site in Perry Barr – which will provide a home away from home for around 6,500 athletes and officials coming to the city in the summer of 2022.

Members of the community, school pupils, Team England athletes, and Games Partners came together to mark the milestone occasion.

The construction work on the accommodation for the athletes, built on the site of the old campus of Birmingham City University and formerly The University of Central England, is due to be finished in early 2022.

The site will create 400 jobs, including 50 apprenticeships and 30 paid summer intern placements.

After the games, the development will be converted into more than 1,400 homes for the people of Birmingham – the first phase of a long-term regeneration plan for Perry Barr and surrounding areas that will provide 5,000 homes.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Birmingham's Paralympic and Commonwealth Games medalist Katrina Hart and Solihull heptathlon Katie Stainton joined Birmingham City Council leader Councillor Ian Ward at the launch.

Councillor Ward said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform an area of Birmingham that has long needed investment, so I am hugely proud that the biggest sporting event in the city’s history will act as a catalyst for the development of a new high-quality residential neighbourhood.

“Perry Barr will provide a magnificent base for athletes in the summer of 2022 – and then go on to provide a genuine long-term Commonwealth Games legacy, by helping house the people of Birmingham in high-quality homes.

“This project is also offering a great boost to the local economy and the skills sector, opening up a whole host of career and training opportunities for those working on the site over the next few years."

Paul Blanchard, Commonwealth Games England chief executive, added: “It’s fantastic to see the construction work starting at the athlete’s village.

“When Team England compete in Birmingham in three years’ time, we know our athletes will have a great experience staying in the athlete’s village and will be given the support and opportunity to perform at their best in front of a home crowd.

"It’s very exciting to see the work that has been done so far on the village and the plans for the future with the legacy that the Commonwealth Games will bring.”

Planning permission was unanimously granted for the £520million scheme by Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee back in December 2018.