HS2 Launches Interchange Station Construction Contract Opportunity

On 7 June 2021, HS2 launched the search for a construction contractor to build Interchange Station in Solihull. Bidders are asked to put themselves forward for the 370 million GBP contract which could support up to 1,000 jobs at the peak of construction, as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs.

Interchange Station will be one of the best connected stations on the new high speed network in the Midlands, and is set to pave the way for huge growth plans around the site being led by the Urban Growth Company that will support 30,000 jobs, up to 3,000 new homes and 70,000 m² of commercial space. These will form part of the UK Central Hub area plans for 70,000 jobs, 5,000 new homes and 650,000 m² of commercial space, generating GBP 6.2 billion GVA per year and bringing 1.3 million people to within a 45-minute public transport commute of the station.

The station is the first railway station globally to achieve the BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification at the design stage - a measure of sustainability for new and refurbished buildings - putting it in the top 1 % of buildings in the UK for eco-friendly credentials. The tender shortlist for the contract will be announced later this year and the contract awarded in 2022.

HS2’s Stations Director Matthew Botelle said: “The start of the search for our construction contractor is a significant step in the journey to build HS2’s Interchange Station in the Midlands. We’ve worked closely with our multi-disciplinary design team Arup to design the station to be net zero in operation, which is a key part of our strategy to reduce carbon and build the most sustainable railway in the world.“

The construction site for the station covers an area of 150 hectares, and is located within a triangle of land formed by the M42, A45 and A452. Work so far has included construction of modular bridges over the M42 and A446, and remodelling of the road network in the area to facilitate access to the new station. There will be up to five trains per hour passing through this brand new station in both directions, with an estimated total of 175,000 seats per day, making this one of the best connected transport interchanges in the country and a new gateway to the UK.