Birmingham rising: why great offices are the jewel in the city’s crown

Last month, Cundall’s management board met in Birmingham. I welcomed colleagues from across the world and, afterwards, I took them on a walking tour of the city.

We started in St Paul’s Square, the green oasis that once hosted our own offices, before moving on to landmarks we’ve been part of delivering, including Three Snowhill, a striking 17-storey Grade A office building in the city’s business district.

A short walk down Colmore Row brought us to Paradise. Paradise? In Birmingham? For those who haven’t visited in a while, the surprise is understandable. Yet this £1.2bn development is transforming the civic heart of the city, blending heritage with modernity and creating over 1m sq ft of contemporary office space. It’s the kind of bold vision that captures what Birmingham is becoming.

More than a second city

Like so many in the local business community, I’m not originally from the West Midlands, but more than 20 years on, I now count myself among Birmingham’s most passionate advocates.

Sure, the city is not without its challenges. A cash-strapped council and ongoing bin strikes have led to unwanted headlines and fuelled longstanding jokes. A second rate Second City some might say.

But make no mistake about it, Birmingham is on the rise.

A bold vision

With the Mayor’s Growth Plan now on the table in Westminster, a new Mayoral Development Corporation announced and the government’s landmark Regional Investment Summit coming to Birmingham, the region’s growth is in full motion.

Underpinned by a vision of raising living standards, reducing poverty and progressing toward net zero, the West Midlands Growth Plan sets out goals including:

•  an economy £17.4bn bigger by 2035
•  tens of thousands of new jobs
•  thousands of homes each year

The MDC is designed to accelerate regeneration and economic growth with major projects including the Birmingham Sports Quarter, the HS2 Curzon Street station, the Smithfield development, and a creative industries hub in Digbeth.

Then there’s the Regional Investment Summit. Backed by household names including Eon, Lloyds, KPMG, HSBC and IBM, the event makes one thing clear: this is a region ready to compete on a larger stage.

Building blocks

With its diversity and industrial heritage alongside investment and innovation in advanced engineering, clean tech, life sciences, digital and professional services, the West Midlands has the ingredients to be a global powerhouse.

Scan the skyline and you’ll see cranes everywhere. Much of current activity is residential, drawing people into Birmingham with attractive leisure and lifestyle facilities. But here lies a question: where will this growing, young, diverse, educated population work?

Offices are the jewel at the centre of the city and their quality sets the tone for everything else; attracting global names, creating confidence, and shaping perceptions.

Demand vs. supply

The proof is in the pudding. Grade A space at Three Chamberlain Square was snapped up almost as soon as it became available and the only major refurbishments currently taking place are already attracting significant interest. Demand is outstripping supply and that tells its own story. Yet there are no new office developments in the pipeline for the year ahead.

Companies like Goldman Sachs and EY have already recognised the opportunity here. Others are watching closely. Why? Because Birmingham offers something rare in a global city: the ability to live close to your workplace, enjoy the cultural and lifestyle benefits of an urban centre, and still access international markets. With HS2 on the horizon and a steady pipeline of talent from our five universities, the position is perhaps stronger than ever.

This is the moment 

But to sustain growth we must continue to invest in quality workplaces. Businesses know that if they can offer the best office space, they can attract and retain the best talent. Workers increasingly expect flexible, agile environments that match or exceed what they might find in London. Cities that offer those spaces will win the race for that talent and investment. Those that don’t will fall behind.

For Birmingham, this is the moment. The city has energy, ambition, and momentum. But the true measure of success will be whether we can deliver the workplaces that keep attracting the likes of Goldman Sachs, EY, and the next wave of businesses.

If we want sustainable, long-term growth, we must ensure Birmingham’s jewel — its offices — continues to shine.

Rob van Zyl is building services partner at Cundall and chair of the BCO Midlands committee.