Projects · West Midlands · 5 October 2026

HS2 in Birmingham: what is being built now, and where crews stay

HS2's opening stage, between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street, is now expected between May 2036 and October 2039. The Transport Secretary gave that range to Parliament on 19 May 2026, with an expected cost of £87.7 billion to £102.7 billion. She said 31,000 people were working on the programme. In Birmingham, the work runs from the city centre out to the M42.

Washwood Heath depot

On 11 May 2026 HS2 awarded a contract worth around £856 million to a joint venture of Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure and Aureos Rail. It covers the train depot and the Network Integrated Control Centre on the 70-hectare former LDV and Metro-Cammell site. HS2 expects around 500 construction jobs during the build. The joint venture has to complete the design first, and RAIL magazine reports that construction is not expected to start until 2028.

Saltley and the M42

The original Saltley Viaduct on the B4114 closed in May 2026 to be replaced. Balfour Beatty VINCI installed the first 55-metre section of the new bridge over the August bank holiday weekend. A second span is due in October, and the viaduct is expected to open in November 2027.

At Water Orton, the last of six viaduct spans over the M42 was lifted into place during a weekend closure in September. A further M42 closure is planned from 9pm on Friday 23 October to 5am on Monday 26 October to fit parapets above the motorway.

Curzon Street and the tunnel

Construction of Curzon Street station, which will open with seven platforms, started in January 2024 with the Mace Dragados joint venture. The 3.5-mile Bromford tunnel runs under the M6 and the eastern outskirts of the city to Washwood Heath. Its final breakthrough came in October 2025.

Where crews stay

Saltley, Washwood Heath and Nechells are the neighbourhoods beside the viaduct and the depot site. Hodge Hill and Castle Bromwich are further east, towards Water Orton and the M42. Before you book, check there is parking for a van, confirm shift times, and ask whether the stay can be extended if the programme moves.

We have a four-bedroom house with parking in east Birmingham that sleeps seven, and a one-bedroom apartment in central Birmingham. We also have houses in Wolverhampton and Telford. Every home has a full kitchen, a washing machine and Wi-Fi, and we invoice per house with your purchase order reference. Send us your site postcode, headcount and dates. The West Midlands is an active search area for us, so if you own a house near the route, we would like to hear from you.

Renovest Properties is an independent accommodation operator and is not affiliated with HS2 Ltd or its contractors.

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