SLP KDBH Extracts - Flipbook - Page 10
Employment density in Solihull is 582 per 1,000 population in 2018, 22% higher than
the Great Britain average (477 per 1,000). By this measure, Solihull is one of the 20
largest labour markets outside of London and the South East8
Total employment in Solihull increased in seven out of nine years through to 2018
and by an annual average of 3.1% per year over this period (+3,300 jobs per year).
This is three times the annual average increase recorded across Great Britain
(+1.0%) and the West Midlands (+1.0%) for that period9
In 2018 62% of all Solihull based employment were in Knowledge Intensive sectors a
much higher proportion than the GB (54%) or West Midlands (52%) averages10
Over this nine period 2010-2018 Solihull has the one of the fastest growing labour
markets in Great Britain. The average annual increase in total employment in Solihull
(3.1%) over this period is the 6th highest out of 206 upper tier Local Authorities in
Great Britain, with the borough ranked top outside of London on this measure11
The number of business enterprises per head in Solihull is lower than the UK
average12, as are the number of business start-ups13. However, the number of highgrowth firms per head is above the UK average14 and the growth in the number of
firms with a turnover of over £5 million per annum is also high15
46% of businesses started in Solihull in 2013 were still active five years later in 2018.
This five year survival rate is higher than both the UK (42%) and West Midlands
(43%) averages16
At £32,970 the median annual wage of full-time jobs based in Solihull in 2019 was
9% higher than the UK average and 16% above the average for the West Midlands17.
33.
Around two thirds of Solihull’s 17,800 hectares is countryside and designated Green Belt,
which separates the West Midlands conurbation from surrounding settlements. The vital
strategic gap between Birmingham/Solihull and Coventry is known as the Meriden Gap. This
area is predominantly rural, characterised by a series of settlements, historic villages,
hamlets, scattered farmsteads and dwellings set within attractive countryside.
34.
These factors combine to make Solihull a highly sought after living environment and, as a
result, house prices and land values across most of the Borough are substantially above the
regional average.
35.
The Borough has a number of distinct areas and these are described in the settlement
chapters.
8
ONS: Business Register and Employment Survey 2018
ONS: Business Register and Employment Survey 2018
10
ONS: Business Register and Employment Survey 2018
11
ONS: Business Register and Employment Survey 2018
12
ONS: UK Business Counts
13
ONS: Business Demography, UK
14
Local Resilience and the Covid-19 Economic Crisis - City Redi blogpost by Tasos Kitsos 2 April 2020
15
ONS: UK Business Counts
16
ONS: Business Demography, UK
17
ONS: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings Workplace Analysis 2019
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