Insider Media Limited

Andy Street, chairman of the Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), has unveiled the organisation's strategy based on the elements "business, people and place".

Street, managing director of retail giant John Lewis, said the LEP "does not want to reinvent the wheel", but admitted its plans had been deemed "ambitious" by many.

Aims including increasing the area's GVA by 30 per cent to £8.25bn by 2020; creating 100,000 private sector jobs by 2020; boosting indigenous and inward investment and building a "world class workforce" make up the LEP's "business; people; place" mantra.

Street launched the 'Strategy for Growth' alongside Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby and Marketing Birmingham chief executive Neil Rami.

"Our emerging strategy aims to make the LEP area a world-class city region by focusing on a small number of priorities we can really deliver on. We now have a framework in place based on 'business; people; place' - these elements are interlinked and fundamental to driving economic growth and investment in the area," said Street.

"The 'business' strand focuses on supporting business growth and attracting inward investment, while 'people'’ looks at linking education and business, and developing the skills of the local talent pool. Finally, 'place' is focused on making the area a 'global location of choice'."

He added that the organisation's enterprise zone – which was granted its Birmingham city centre location last month – was one example of the LEP's 'ambitious' targets.

"I know many, even at cabinet level, were surprised that we went for a zone around the city centre rather than the out of town areas many other cities have chosen, but it worked for us," he said.