Big development areas need big ideas, Birmingham council leader Coun Mike Whitby told a global audience of investors and developers at the MIPIM 2010 property conference in Cannes today (Wednesday).

And he challenged investors and developers from all corners of the world to visit Birmingham and join in a "Decade of Delivery".

In his speech opening the Birmingham stand at MIPIM 2010, he will unveil composite sites in the city that offer "acres and acres of opportunities" for developers and investors with three key strategic opportunities for global investors being launched at MIPIM 2010.

The three areas total 385 acres of Birmingham that could bring in billions of pounds of investment into the city over the next decade and create tens of thousands of jobs.

They range from the giant 198 acre Ladyport area which surrounds the Icknield Port Loop site, to Bordesley Park totalling 37 acres to the east of the city centre, to the "jewel in the crown", the strategically important Southern Gateway area of 150 acres which has at its heart the wholesale markets which are due to relocate in the near future.

He stressed that Southern Gateway has a strategic location adjoining the Bull Ring and the City Core retail and business area.

"We are open for business and open to ideas for these major opportunities," he told MIPIM delegates.

"These key strategic areas provide a strong example of the regional teamwork that is pulling together to help us transform our city. Icknield Port Loop at Ladyport, for example, involves Birmingham City Council, Advantage West Midlands and British Waterways working together to create a 100 acre-plus development opportunity with enormous potential that will act as a catalyst for wider transformation of this part of the city."

He stressed that while no formal plans had been drawn up for these sites, they give a strong indication of the scale of the city's ambitions.

Waheed Nazir, Director of Regeneration at Birmingham City Council, said: "These areas demonstrate investment opportunities which are not set in stone, but they represent the next chapter in the regeneration story that is taking place across Birmingham.

"We have chosen to rename these legacy sites - Southern Gateway, Ladyport and Bordesley Park - to stress that they cover a much wider area than has been seen before.

"For example, when you show someone the Southern Gateway area on the map, they might immediately think of the wholesale markets site.

"But while the wholesale markets site is enormously important in regeneration terms, it is but 60 acres in a larger area we are calling Southern Gateway which encompasses 150 acres.

"This is repeated in the Bordesley Park and Ladyport areas and we will be consulting heavily over the next couple of years on our ideas and vision for all three of these exciting areas."