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Birmingham City’s chairman has reassured fans that he has “every confidence” ahead of critical decisions on the transformative Sports Quarter plans. The club’s enormous project could drastically change part of the city amid proposals for a new stadium, “world-class” training centre, women’s stadium, arena and mixed-use development. Blues announced the purchase of a vacant site in east Birmingham , formerly known as Birmingham Wheels, from the city council last year and have since been working with both local and national politicians. READ MORE: Six things we’ve learnt about Birmingham Sports Quarter project amid major updates At the club’s most recent Open House event, fans were given further insight into the club’s major plans for the new stadium and their desire to create a “global destination of sport, media and entertainment”. But bosses were also asked about the process to get planning approval for Blues’ ambitious project. “The scale of ambition that you’ve presented here today is probably going to be the largest planning application the city has ever seen in its history,” one attendee said. “How confident are you that Birmingham City Council ’s planning department has got the capability to understand it and will be able to say yes? Will you be able to help them on the process?” Nick Smith, head of infrastructure at Birmingham City FC, responded by saying: “I do think they can handle it. “I think they’ve come a long way from the first meeting we had […] with their eyes popping out their head in terms of the size of the ambition. “They really have and are embracing the size of the ambition – they mostly certainly see the opportunity for the city.” He continued: “I do think they get bad press, the planning department, but I think they’ve been in a lot of rooms with a lot of wannabe wealthy people with lots of great ideas. “They’ve seen a lot of schemes that have never materialised and they absolutely 100 per cent know this is real so you have their full attention. “They’re very, very supportive.” Chairman Tom Wagner said one encouraging factor was the Sports Quarter project also being highlighted at a national government level and by chancellor Rachel Reeves. “We have every confidence that this has got the appropriate attention,” he said. “We secured £2.4 billion of funding for transport and that’s great for the entirety of this part of the city. “We pushed hard on this and got everything we asked for so we have every confidence.” Wagner went on to confirm that the club was aiming for a completion date of 2030 for the new stadium. “I think the [government’s upcoming budget] budget will allow for fast-track planning, that’s my hope,” he said. “We believe it’s a three year build and we believe we can get planning done in two or less.” Following this month’s Regional Investment Summit in Edgbaston , West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker described the Sports Quarter project as “game-changing”. “World-class businesses like Knighthead Capital are investing because they share our vision and confidence,” the Labour mayor said. He went on to say that growth plans could be bolstered by the “government’s action to cut red tape and fast-track” major projects like Birmingham’s Sports Quarter. Councillor John Cotton, leader of Labour-run Birmingham City Council, added after the event: “The summit brilliantly showcased the wealth of opportunities and the huge potential for economic growth here in Birmingham. “The chancellor [Rachel Reeves] was clear that the Government will work with us to bring growth and prosperity to Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.” READ MORE: Inside Birmingham’s World Cup bid - £100m boost, stadiums and fan festival Tom Wagner last week revealed the team responsible for creating the club’s new stadium, with the collaboration involving award-winning British designers Heatherwick Studio. They will partner with Kansas-based architectural powerhouse MANICA and be supported by Steven Knight, the writer behind iconic series Peaky Blinders and a lifelong Blues fan. The club said the partnership would deliver a project that would be “truly extraordinary, recognisable around the globe, yet rooted in the history of Birmingham”.
