00:01The West Midlands has been handed a new vehicle for growth.
00:05A Merrill Development Corporation will take charge of some of the region's biggest schemes.
00:10From the £2 billion Smithfield site to the new HS2 station at Curls of the Street,
00:16the Knowledge Quarter and the Sports Quarter and Dickbutt's Creative Hub.
00:21The promise is simple, cut bureaucracy, unite land and funding under one roof
00:25and bring projects forward in speed.
00:28Leaders say this will give investors the certainty they demand
00:31and unlock billions for the local economy.
00:34The slags are high. The Mayor claims the corporation will create tens of thousands of jobs
00:40that drive growth that communities will actually fill.
00:43The council leader calls it a once in a generation chance
00:46to make Birmingham one of the most investable cities in Britain.
00:50But the questions are obvious. Speed and certainty sound good on pay-bub,
00:55big regeneration projects here have a record of stalling.
01:00A body that pulls the planning powers away from councils could be efficient,
01:04but who gets the final sight if residents oppose parts of the scheme?
01:08And then there's the jobs. Will they go to local workers?
01:12With fair pay and training or will outside contractors take the lion's share?
01:18The Government has put its way behind the plan, with the Chancellor calling Birmingham
01:22the host of the first regional investment summit.
01:25Ministers say confidence is rising, private sector growth is back
01:29and Britain is ranked as the top destination for global investment.
01:33On the ground though, delivery will be the test.
01:36Billions may be in the pipeline, but the measure of success will be
01:40where the ordinary pits sit in their pockets.
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