As one of the biggest cities in the UK, Birmingham is known for being a cultural melting pot of the world. Made up of individuals from all walks of life, each person has their own special reason why they’ve chosen Birmingham as the place to call home. But what do residents love about living in Birmingham? We take a look at some of the main reasons Birmingham is a great place to live and why it’s a good place to consider investing in in 2019.
The People
With a population of over 1 million people, Birmingham has a rich and diverse community unlike many other UK cities.
According to recent data, Birmingham’s population is even more ethnically diverse than London, with one of the largest Asian communities in the UK. As a result of this population diversity, Birmingham has taken influences from these varied cultures to create some great events, places to eat and drink, and communities to live in. Highlights include the Moseley Folk Festival, Digbeth Dining Club (a constantly changing lineup of street-food vendors from around the world), and the suburban area of Sheldon – home to 300 acres of beautiful parkland and our latest development, Park Gate.
Birmingham has four world class universities within its borders. Students grow to love the city so much that Birmingham now has one of the highest graduate retention rates in the UK, with 49% of new graduates remaining after graduation. With so many graduates staying on, this has positively impacted the city to bring with it plenty of events and activities to meet the demands of a younger population. This influence is especially visible in areas such as Digbeth, where plenty of new bars, pubs and restaurants have popped up to meet the demands of a growing young population.
The Career Opportunities
This vibrant community isn’t the only reason that residents love living in Birmingham. Birmingham is fast becoming a great place for career opportunities.
Due to the continued growth of the city, many businesses have relocated or are planning to relocate to the city. Major banks like HSBC and Deutsche Bank have moved offices into Birmingham, bringing with them plenty of new career opportunities. As well as this, Birmingham is home to over 3,000 tech companies; the biggest collection outside of London. This in turn has meant Birmingham now boasts over 41,000 jobs in the digital and technology sector.
With the development of the new High-Speed Rail Network (HS2), this will open up Birmingham to the rest of the UK like never before. Due for completion in 2026, the network is expected to create 50,000 new jobs in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. Journey times between London and Birmingham are set to be reduced to just 49 minutes (a 40% reduction in travel time), opening up career and living opportunities in both of these major cities.
For investors, a booming jobs market presents a great opportunity for property investment. As more business and jobs move into the area, so too does the demand for good quality accommodation to rent.
The Culture
Birmingham’s success isn’t just local. Due to the cities rapid growth and expansion, Birmingham attracts events on a global scale to the city every year.
Birmingham is currently preparing to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This event will be monumental for the city, bringing plenty of opportunity, talent and investment to Birmingham. £600m has already been invested in Birmingham ahead of the games, with £1.1bn of revenue expected to be generated. Some of this has already been allocated for reinvestment in local communities, giving the area even more growth potential over the coming years.
Closer to home in the suburban communities, local events provide a great cultural experience for its residents. Small Heath Park will host its annual Eid celebrations in 2019, bringing together over 140,000 people from Birmingham’s Muslim community. For all of the latest cultural and community events, take a look at the Birmingham City Council Events Page.
Investment Opportunities in Birmingham
With all of these reasons why residents love living in Birmingham, now is a great time to secure an investment in our latest off-plan development, Park Gate at Lyndon Place. Park Gate offers all the luxuries of an urban lifestyle, with all the comforts of suburban communities. At less than 20 minutes from Birmingham city centre, and just 10 minutes away from the HS2 interchange, Park Gate is in an excellent location for Birmingham residents to make the most out of all these incredible opportunities the city and its surroundings has to offer.
