A £370m contract to build the HS2 interchange station in Solihull has now been officially signed by Laing O’Rourke, two months after being announced as the main contractor.
The signing of the contract comes after the obligatory standstill period following the announcement of the award.
With Aecom as its design partner and following an initial 12 months planning stage Laing O’Rourke will begin the detailed design in 2023.
Balfour Beatty Vinci, HS2 main works contractor is presently preparing the site ready for construction to begin in 2024. In advance of the railway opening between 2029 and 2033 the Solihull interchange station is due for completion in 2027.
The construction site for the station is over an area of 150 hectares within a triangle of land bounded by the M42, A45 and A452. Progress is already taking place including construction of modular bridges over the M42 and A446 as part of the remodelled road networks in the area to create access to the new station.
Expected to be the catalyst for economic regeneration in the region Solihull HS2 station is expected to create 30,000 jobs, up to 3,000 new homes and 70,000 sqm of commercial space.