Insider Media Limited

The government has pledged to help Birmingham boost its Big City Plan. Planning minister Bob Neil said that he wanted to give cities like Birmingham “more control over their own destiny in planning and development”.

Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, has called on the minister to fast track the introduction of Accelerated Development Zones (ADZs) and Tax Incremental Funding (TIF) to help kick start the £600m city plan.

Whitby said he initially voiced his concerns in a one-to-one meeting with planning minister Bob Neill during the Conservative Party Conference.

“Bob Neill listened to our concerns in Birmingham about how long it would take to introduce ADZs and TIF and he has now told me that the government is planning to promote these essential tools as early as late November when the Decentralisation & Localism Bill is published,” he said.

Whitby said he was “very encouraged” by the planning minister’s attitude and his understanding of Birmingham’s need to press on quickly with the early stages of the Big City Plan.

“I told the minister that we had £600m worth of shovel-ready Green Book standard projects ready to go, but we need the ADZ and TIF powers to bring them to fruition.

“He agreed that funding problems and planning delays were the two biggest issues holding us back and has pledged to do his utmost to help us resolve these critical factors.

“His words mean that we can get moving and have the cranes and diggers on standby for the day these powers are implemented.”

Mr Neill has said he wants to give cities like Birmingham much more control over their own destiny in planning and development.

He wanted to see Birmingham empowered more and commented that the coalition wanted to shift back wealth and power to the major UK cities.

He also revealed that he is planning major changes in the planning system in a bid to reduce the cost and speed up the process.

Whitby said: “Bob Neill talks our language. He understands that to drive forward the Big City Plan and ensure that Birmingham builds on its reputation as a global city.

“The construction industry in Birmingham is on its backside and it is essential that we in local government move as quickly as we can to bring forward projects that will inject both money and jobs into the local economy.”