A new £370million HS2 station will bring nearly 1,000 jobs to the West Midlands, according to the region's mayor.

The HS2 interchange station, located just over a mile east from Birmingham International Airport, is part of a wider regeneration plans for 340 acres of land, which includes up to 3,000 new homes and six million sq ft of commercial space in a scheme known as Arden Cross.

The station will be connected to the neighbouring NEC campus, Birmingham International railway station and the airport by an 'automated people mover'.

The contract to build the station, awarded to Laing O'Rourke, will support around 1,000 jobs over the next five years, including 22 new apprenticeship roles for local people looking to learn new skills and start a career in construction.

Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor said: "When we think of levelling up in action, HS2 epitomises the potential we can and must unleash by backing the right schemes.

"HS2 will reinforce our region's place at the heart of the UK economy when it starts operating but it is already delivering for the West Midlands today – through job creation, opportunities for local businesses and of course this new station contract.

"This announcement demonstrates once again that HS2 is a flagship levelling up project for the UK and will continue to catalyse investment into the West Midlands."

The Interchange station itself covers an area of 150 hectares. Laing O'Rourke will start architectural designs while Balfour Beatty VINCI will prepare the site for construction to start in 2024.

The station is due for completion in 2027 in advance of the railway opening between 2029 and 2033.

Mark Thurston, HS2's CEO said: "Interchange Station will be transformational for the Midlands, with fantastic opportunities for people and businesses in the region being created right now, years before the station is open.

"The design of Interchange will make it one of the most sustainable stations anywhere in the world. Harnessing the latest green technology and designs will provide exciting jobs, training and supply chain opportunities, as we begin to build a world-class transport hub for the UK."

Declan McGeeney, Director of UK Infrastructure at Laing O'Rourke said: "We're proud to have been appointed to such a significant project for HS2 and for the Midlands region. Our teams have delivered major rail projects across the UK and we'll be drawing on our experience of using modern methods of construction (MMC) to ensure project certainty.

"The ambition to make this one of the most sustainable stations in the world allows us to push the boundaries of MMC even further and it's going to be an exciting project for all involved, including local and regional suppliers and especially for early talent who will join our team and use this experience as a springboard into construction and engineering."

There will be up to five trains per hour passing through the station in both directions, with an estimated total of 175,000 seats per day, making this one of the best-connected transport interchanges in the country.

Interchange will be one of four stations serving the first phase of the high-speed rail line between Birmingham and London which is due to begin operations in the late 2020s.

The others will be in Euston and Old Oak Common in London and Curzon Street in Birmingham city centre which was approved in April.