The challenge

Coventry City Council sought to develop a pioneering multi-modal mobility and energy hub—CLEAN Hub—to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transport while enhancing energy resilience.

The project required a robust HM Treasury Green Book-compliant Outline Business Case (OBC) to demonstrate its viability, secure investment, and align with national net-zero targets. Given the hub’s ambition to integrate hydrogen refuelling, EV charging, drone logistics, academic research facilities, and energy generation, a comprehensive business case was essential to address economic, commercial, and technical complexities.

Why it’s important

The CLEAN Hub aligns with the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and supports regional economic growth.

Situated at the Walsgrave Triangle interchange, the hub is strategically positioned to serve the East Midlands, West Midlands, and the North, facilitating the transition to cleaner transport solutions on key logistics routes.

By providing essential zero-emission infrastructure, the project enhances the competitiveness of local businesses, supports job creation, and fosters innovation in clean mobility and energy technologies.

Furthermore, the CLEAN Hub serves as a national demonstrator, showcasing scalable solutions for sustainable urban development.

Our approach

Urban Foresight led the development of a five-case compliant business case that demonstrated the strategic, economic, financial, commercial, and management feasibility of the CLEAN Hub. Our structured approach included:

• Stakeholder engagement and strategic case development: organised the CLEAN Hub Open Day, bringing together key stakeholders, including Coventry City Council, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), OPUS Land, EDF Renewables, and academic institutions. These discussions ensured alignment with regional and national priorities.
• Demand forecasting and economic modelling: utilised National Grid Future Energy Scenarios (FES) and the Midlands Connect model to project EV charging demand across different traffic and vehicle type scenarios. This data underpinned future-proofed infrastructure planning, including the phased rollout of 106 EV chargers by 2028, catering to varying vehicle charging needs.
• Financial viability analysis: developed a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model compliant with Green Book (3.5% discount rate) and WebTAG methodologies to assess long-term financial sustainability, revenue generation, and risk mitigation.
• Commercial strategy development: explored procurement models, considering a service lot approach to engage multiple private sector partners. Our analysis ensured a commercially viable delivery model that maximised public-private sector collaboration and investment potential.
• Management and governance framework: designed a robust governance structure, risk management strategy, and benefits realisation plan to guide the project’s transition from OBC to full business case and implementation.

The outcome

Urban Foresight’s work provided Coventry City Council with a robust and well-evidenced OBC, positioning the CLEAN Hub for future investment and implementation. Key outputs included:

• A compelling business case demonstrating the CLEAN Hub’s role in enabling zero-emission mobility and energy resilience.
• A validated demand and revenue model, ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
• A structured commercial strategy, outlining viable procurement and delivery pathways.
• A comprehensive governance and risk management framework, enabling smooth project execution.

The project is now progressing towards securing investment and implementation, with its innovative model serving as a reference for other UK cities looking to advance sustainable transport and energy infrastructure.

How Urban Foresight can help you

Urban Foresight specialises in developing strategic and business cases for cutting-edge sustainable infrastructure projects. Our expertise includes:

• Multi-stakeholder engagement to align projects with national and regional priorities.
• Data-driven demand forecasting and financial modelling to future-proof investments.
• Commercial strategy and procurement planning to ensure viable delivery models.
• Risk management and governance frameworks to enable project success.

Whether you are developing a mobility hub, an energy innovation project, or a large-scale infrastructure investment, we provide the expertise to navigate complexity, secure funding, and deliver impact. Contact us at hello@urbanforesight.com to find out more.