Solihull station is first in world to achieve Breeam ‘outstanding’ at design stage
Plans for HS2’s new Interchange station in Solihull have been given the green light.
The planning application for the station and the surrounding landscape and public realm, along with an automated people mover, were approved by Solihull council this week.
The station, designed by Arup, recently became the first in the world to achieve Breeam “outstanding” certification at the design stage – putting it in the top 1% of buildings in the UK for eco-friendly credentials.
The planners’ report said the design creates “an exciting contextual response to its setting”, drawing on the ”historic and agricultural character of the local area and delivers a strong sense of place and identity through its architectural form and the design of its landscape”.
The automated people mover will link to the NEC, Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport, carrying up to 2,100 passengers an hour in each direction, with a service every three minutes along a 2.3km route.
The next steps for the project include working with the council and other stakeholders to maximise development opportunities around the site.
A contractor is expected to be appointed in 2022, with construction planned to start in 2024.
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