3.4.a Birmingham

Public players

• Government
• EU
• specific departments and agencies within a governing body
• Local governments
• The main aim of public players is to create jobs, stimulate economic growth and make the environment better along with better healthcare and services provided

Private players

• Businesses
• TNCs
• Self-employed
• Their aim is generally to make profit

• In the early 18th century, the population was 15,000
• Many had migrated from rural areas for jobs
• The middle class increased in population
• Increase in law and banking
• First factory by Matthew Boulton in 1761 with 700 employees
• In the 1800s there was growth in the industry in guns, jewellery, buttons, metal production, food, banks and brass
• Cadbury set up their factory
• Transport was developed with the opening of the railway to London in 1838

• Increase in engineering industries
• 1906 - Austin car plant in Longbridge
• Hundreds of small firms set up to supply the car plants with parts
• 1917 - Dunlop set up creating 10,000 jobs making tyres
• Survived the Great Depression due to the metalworking industry
• Housing increased to facilitate the new workers
• Tightly packed housing in between factories
• Increase in middle class helped to increase the amount of tax being paid
• Overwhelmingly white population
• Employment was dominated by males
• 60% of jobs were skilled such as precision engineers
• Inner-city housing was low quality whilst on the edges, there was detached and semi-detached housing

• The 50s & 60s - unemployment was below 1%
• 1970-1983 - earnings fell from the highest in the country to the lowest of any region
• 1973 - oil crisis
  • Arab-Israeli war
  • Most western countries supported Israel
  • OPEC was dominated by Arab states such as Saudi Arabia who used oil supply as a weapon
  • EMbargo increased the price of oil to four times the price before
  • Shocked the global economic system
• The 70s - British car production was decreasing as it was cheaper to build in Japan and these cars were far more reliable
• Multiple strikes during the 70s cause TNCs to invest in other areas
• 1982 - unemployment was at 19.4% as many jobs required oil
• Global shift of manufacturing jobs to EDCs and LIDCs caused a mass loss of jobs

Housing

• 5000 homes destroyed during WWII
• 110,000 sub-standard homes
• The 50s & 60s - 400 tower blocks built
• 1945-1970 - 81,000 new dwellings were created
• The accommodation was significantly better than before
• Commuters increased as housing was further away from the CBD
• The green belt was constructed to restrict the outward expansion

Demographics

• Increase in international migration to Birmingham for jobs in inner-city areas
• Migrants from the Caribbean, South Asia and the Far East
• Migrants were clustered into cheap housing due to low paying low skilled jobs such as taxi drivers
• Became cosmopolitan with Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
• Relatively young city with 38% below 24 compared to England being 31%

• Creation of the NEC attracted inward investment
• Expansion of the airport increased the accessibility to Birmingham
• Brings more income to Birmingham as jobs are created
• Lots of funding raised since the late 20th Century
• 1999 - The NDCs scheme brought broadband across the inner-city improving employment opportunities in the IT sector
• £235 million was secured from the EU for the Social Investment Fund for 2014-2020 which is being used for improving insulation in run-down housing and building small premises for small start-up businesses

• Planning acts as a catalyst for creating socio-economic change
• More public spaces e.g. Catenary Square
• Refurbishment of Town Hall and Council House
• 1991 - INternational Convention Centre was created an funded for by the EU attracting international conferences which surrounding businesses always profit from - the multiplier effect
• Universities with a student population of 50,000 make the demographic younger and bring in many future tax-payers
• Institutions like this also bring in lots of money as employers spend their money within the city and the universities create thousands of jobs
• The 1960s - Bull RIng development was Europe's first major indoor shopping centre with many luxury brands and shops setting up
• Streets were pedestrianised with the city's canals revitalised

• New Street - The main railway station has had £700 million invested involving the national rail, private developers and retailers such as John Lewis who have created an area known as the Grand Central
• Shops, cafes, restaurants and office have created 1,000 jobs
• HS" has spent £20 billion connecting Birmingham to London involving everyone. Should bring economic growth to Birmingham as there should be employment growth and the 2 major cities will be only 50 minutes away from each other
• Motorways converge around Birmingham with the M1, M5, M6, M40 and M42 (ring road)
• The BPD guides decisions up until 2031 as they deal with new homes, jobs, services and infrastructure