Our Area

The area covered by the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership has a population of nearly two million, contains 835,000 jobs and has a GVA of about £34 billion. It enjoys a concentration of economic drivers second only to London.

From travel to work patterns to shared economic assets and business linkages, the lives and fortunes of the people and institutions of the area are inextricably linked. There are high levels of travel to work within the area, across district boundaries, with large numbers of higher skilled employees living outside the Metropolitan Core.

Birmingham and Solihull Metropolitan Core

Birmingham and Solihull have a population of 1.23 million and contain many of the economic drivers of the conurbation such as the airport in Solihull, Birmingham city centre, four major universities and international meeting places.

Southern Staffordshire

Comprises the four local authority areas to the north: Cannock Chase, Lichfield, Tamworth and East Staffordshire (based upon Burton and Uttoxeter). It has a population of 380,000 with considerable numbers commuting to and from Birmingham. The E3I belt – an area some 20-40km outside the urban conurbation – has been identified by academics as an area with significant potential for sustainable, knowledge-based economic growth.

Northern Worcestershire

Comprises three local authority areas to the south – Redditch, Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest (based upon Kidderminster). It has a population of 270,000 and has a similar relationship to Birmingham and Solihull as that of Southern Staffordshire. There is considerable commuting into Birmingham and Solihull, but also commuting out from the core city.