Dealing with Auto Industry Rundown and Closures: a perspective from Birmingham Challenges facing Mono-Sectoral Cities, Open Days 2010

Attempts from 1980s to rebalance / reposition the city

• City Centre redevelopment projects – tourism, finance, law, business services...
• But ongoing net loss of jobs (Centre for Cities, 2010)
• Auto industry: modernise, diversify away from auto and major local manufacturer MG Rover
• First ‘Rover Task Force’ – over 2000-2005: advance action ‘saved’ some 10,000-12,000 jobs

‘Place Renewing’ leadership (Bailey and De Propris, 2010)

• Entering and securing high-value market segments
• Cross-sector fertilisation
• Repositioning within the global value chain