Birmingham's HS2 Station Public Realm Plans Approved, Transforming City Centre
Major plans for the public spaces surrounding Birmingham's new HS2 station at Curzon Street have been officially approved, setting the stage for a permanent transformation of a key city centre area. The Birmingham City Council planning committee gave the green light to the revised scheme on Thursday, April 16, 2026, following a presentation that highlighted the creation of a world-class station and landmark destination.
High-Quality Public Realm Design
A council officer's report emphasized that the proposals would deliver a high-quality, robust and characterful public realm, contributing significantly to Birmingham's urban landscape. The plans consolidate two previously approved schemes from 2020, incorporating numerous refinements and updates based on ongoing discussions with city council officers to enhance layout, character areas, and overall usability for all station users.
The updated design focuses on maintaining and strengthening connections across this part of the city, ensuring that the economic benefits of the new high-speed rail link support regeneration both locally and more widely. According to the report, a key driver is to create a series of distinct character areas that will define the station environment.
Key Character Areas and Features
The approved plans establish several designated spaces around Curzon Street Station:
- Station Square: The main arrival space featuring natural stone paving materials, lighting, furniture, soft landscape gardens, and terraces.
- Curzon Promenade: Located to the north of the western concourse and Station Square, designed as a green-infrastructure link with a parkland character.
- Curzon Square and New Canal Street Square: These two spaces will merge to form a large-scale, hard paved city square.
- Old Curzon Street Square Gardens: A garden square proposed to the east of the Grade I listed Old Curzon Street Station.
- Paternoster Place: A key public space at the gateway to Digbeth, intended to create a high-quality main entrance area.
Council Support Amid HS2 Challenges
During the planning committee meeting, Councillor Gareth Moore acknowledged the slow progress of HS2 overall but expressed support for the public realm elements, stating, I have no real issue with the public realm as proposed, I think it looks very attractive. He emphasized the importance of creating a positive image for visitors arriving in Birmingham, contrasting it with existing railway infrastructure.
Councillor Lee Marsham, chair of the planning committee, noted the balance between cost, speed, and safety in HS2 projects, saying, As with all things HS2, if you want it built as cheap as possible, build it quicker and safely.
The approval comes despite ongoing challenges facing the HS2 project, including rising costs and delays. Towards the end of last year, HS2 confirmed another setback, revealing that the target window of 2029 to 2033 for trains running between Birmingham and London's Old Oak Common Station could not be achieved.
Looking Forward
HS2 CEO Mark Wild has committed to addressing the failures of the past and get HS2 on track, acknowledging the need for a fundamental reset while thanking the 34,000 people working on the project daily for their hard work. Councillor John Cotton, leader of Birmingham Council, has stressed that HS2 is already bringing huge benefits to the city, highlighting the importance of the station's development for Birmingham's future.
The approved public realm plans represent a significant step forward in realizing the vision for Curzon Street Station as a transformative hub, even as the broader HS2 project navigates its complex timeline and financial considerations.
