Developed by leading UK urban designers, Urban Initiatives, the Big City Plan Charter outlines 20 key issues and areas of opportunity which the city needs to address in order to achieve its ambitions for future development.

The largest ever plan of its kind in the UK, the Big City Plan will co-ordinate the overall physical, economic and cultural development of not just the city centre, but also the wider city and region beyond.

As part of this more than £11bn worth of investment is already planned for the city centre, including Arena Central, New Street Gateway Project, Snow Hill redevelopment and the proposed Library of Birmingham.

Key to all the proposals is a sense of developing a unique 'Birmingham' approach to future development and services in the city. Key topics include:

Developing more sustainable forms of energy production and housing

The need for more family housing in the city centre

A lack of green space

The need for a better transport network

More support for the creative industries

How to improve the general quality of life for citizens

The proposed plan is based upon the principles set out by Professor Michael Parkinson of the European Institute for Urban Affairs, in his visioning study delivered to the council in 2007.