During the last few years, Birmingham has been emerging as the leader of the UK's regional cities, and has recently been announced as the fastest improving city in Britain.

In comparison with London, it is a much more affordable place to live and work, while its central location is perfect for business meetings in the capital or Manchester and Leeds. With this is mind, it is not hard to see why companies are beginning to really take notice of what Birmingham has to offer.

Infrastructure

Birmingham now enjoys some of the most impressive transport facilities in the UK. The £600 million redevelopment of the main railway station was completed in 2015, and journeys to London and Manchester are possible in less than 90 minutes.

In addition, the international airport is just 5miles from the city centre. Because of these great links, large companies have decided to commit to the city. HSBC are siting their headquarters in Birmingham, while HMRC are creating a new regional hub. In addition to the favourable location, the region also has access to some of the fastest broadband connections in the country - with speeds well above the national average.

Lifestyle

The city is the most popular destination for people who relocate from London - over 5400 people made the switch in 2013 alone. This rise in demand is one reason why Birmingham remains the UK's property investment hotspot. It is also a more peaceful place to live, with one of the lowest crime rates of any major city (thereare around 68 crimes per 1000 residents, compared to 109 crimes per 1000 residents in Manchester!)

In total, the cost of living in Birmingham is 23% cheaper than being based in or around the London region.

Entrepreneurial

A major incentive for businesses is the entrepreneurial culture that is embedded in the city - Birmingham easily has the most startup businesses in any area outside of London. There were 7310 startup businesses registered in 2015 (Manchester and Leeds had around 4300 each).

Wages are a third cheaper than London, and commercial property rents are much lower, so for new businesses, it is a significantly more favourable environment for them to succeed. Their reduced overheads allow them to grow quicker!

At Pall Mall, we have focused on growing our Birmingham property portfolio, and now have anumber of attractive premises available for let:

Rovex was formerly home to the Rover Motor Group, and has now been modernised withindustrial units and offices to lease.

George Road Business Park boasts a tranquil setting, 4 miles from the city centre, and hasoffice space available.

Electra Park is suited to companies needing a warehouse or storage facility. It has a largeservice yard and quick motorway access.

Pall Mall Estates have a wide range of low cost commercial properties across the UK. Take a look at our available spaces here or get in touch with our experienced team here.

—