Perry Barr

The challenge

West Midlands Combined Authority brought forward the redevelopment of Perry Barr station and the adjacent bus interchange as part of the wider regeneration of the area, timed to support the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The existing 1960s station, tucked within a parade of shops, provided limited facilities and poor accessibility. The site sits on a busy corridor between Birmingham and Walsall, close to One Stop Shopping Centre and within walking distance of Alexander Stadium, with a high volume of bus services using the surrounding highway network.

Delivering a completely new station building, improved platforms and accessibility, alongside a new bus interchange and enhanced public realm, required careful coordination between the rail industry, Birmingham City Council and commercial landowners — all in a constrained urban environment and against a fixed event deadline.

What we did

Supporting WMCA with strategic land and consents advice and day-to-day negotiations to unlock delivery and manage risk.

We worked closely with Birmingham City Council on their Commonwealth Games Compulsory Purchase Order, including the acquisition and extinguishment of leases for the shops that previously occupied the site, as well as the associated headlease. We also negotiated the acquisition of land from the owners of One Stop Shopping Centre, which was subsequently transferred to Network Rail to accommodate improved station facilities, cycle provision and drop-off space.

Our team undertook land referencing for the plots required, prepared a Land and Consents Strategy to guide approvals, and worked with the Council on highway dedications so the new station benefits from clear, lawful public access. We negotiated wayleave, easement and lease arrangements with Western Power (now National Grid) for the station power supply.

Because the bus interchange was delivered by Birmingham City Council alongside wider highway works, we played a key role in aligning the two programmes. This included establishing a tri-partite agreement between WMCA, BCC and One Stop Shopping Centre to govern responsibilities, phasing and delivery, and negotiating a series of licences that enabled site compounds and access across Council land on both sides of the railway.

Why it worked

Early and proactive engagement with third-party stakeholders helped maintain trust, minimise disruption and keep both the rail and bus projects moving together. A clear land and consents strategy ensured that agreements, acquisitions and legal rights were secured in the right sequence, even where elements had to be designed on land outside WMCA ownership.

Close collaboration between the rail project team and the highways-led bus interchange team allowed overlapping issues to be resolved without delaying the overall programme, despite the challenges of a fixed deadline and constrained site.