From cranes to communities: Why Birmingham must make this growth count

Birmingham has never lacked potential. What it has often lacked is delivery. Today, there is a growing recognition that this may be one of the last real opportunities to turn the promise of Birmingham into tangible outcomes for the people who live and work here, writes Adam Farrell of Cavendish.

This urgency is reflected in the city’s politics. A divided council that, in many ways, mirrors a divided city. Old loyalties have broken down, trust in institutions has eroded, and too many people simply do not feel that the system works for them anymore. That sentiment is rooted in lived experience, particularly in those neighbourhoods where inequality is most entrenched.

In some parts of Birmingham, more than 60% of children are growing up in households experiencing income deprivation. That statistic should define how we think about growth in this city. Because while cranes dominate the skyline and investment flows into the city centre, too many people do not see a route into that success.

And yet, the scale of what is possible is significant. Major city centre schemes from Paradise to Smithfield, and the transformative potential of HS2 at Curzon Street are reshaping Birmingham’s physical and economic landscape. These are not just developments; they are engines of job creation, inward investment, and long-term growth. They have the potential to change how Birmingham competes, how it is perceived, and who benefits from its success.

Unless there is a deliberate and sustained effort to connect these opportunities to Birmingham’s communities, growth risks reinforcing the very divides the recent elections have exposed. Developers, investors, and policymakers cannot afford to treat social value as a tick-box exercise. This is the moment to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate, in practical terms, how development can improve lives: creating pathways into employment, supporting local businesses, and investing in the places that have historically been overlooked.

That also requires honesty about what the development industry can and cannot do. Developers cannot solve all of society’s challenges. No single scheme can fix systemic inequality. But the industry can play a meaningful role if it focuses its efforts where they matter most: skills, jobs, opportunity, and long-term community benefit. That means engaging early, listening properly, and designing schemes with communities rather than presenting them with finished plans.

Critically, it also means being upfront with politicians about the realities the industry faces. If this opportunity is to be realised, the relationship between the public and private sectors must change. For too long, it has been characterised by friction; delays in planning, uncertainty around viability, and political instability that deters investment. These are not minor issues; they are decisive in determining whether schemes proceed or stall.

Political leadership, at this moment, has a clear role to play. It is not to create additional barriers, but to work with industry to remove them. A pragmatic approach to viability, a faster and more predictable planning system, and greater stability in decision-making are essential if Birmingham is to unlock its development pipeline at pace.

Political change provides opportunities and will create space for new thinking, while the potential return of a more ambitious devolution agenda could give cities like Birmingham greater control over their futures. But none of that will matter without delivery. Structure will not substitute for outcomes.

Birmingham has done this before. Its history is defined by moments where bold leadership, aligned with delivery, reshaped the city, and improved people’s lives. The current pipeline of investment sits firmly in that tradition. The difference now is the level of expectation and the consequences of failure.

This is the challenge, and the opportunity. A divided city, a divided political landscape, and a clear sense among many residents that the system is not working for them. Against that backdrop, the development industry has a choice. It can continue as before, or it can step up by engaging more meaningfully, delivering more visibly, and focusing on outcomes that people can feel in their everyday lives.

If it does the latter, working honestly with politicians, removing barriers, and committing to genuine, demonstrable social value then Birmingham can begin to close the gap between growth and inclusion. If it does not, this moment will be remembered not as a new beginning, but as a missed opportunity.

The cranes are already here. The investment is already coming. The question now is whether Birmingham can ensure that this time, it works for everyone.

• Adam Farrell is a director at Cavendish Midlands