Sandwell Council has today announced ambitious proposals to create a Sandwell Investment Zone along the new Metro extension currently under construction from Wednesbury through Great Bridge, Dudley Port and Tipton.

The regeneration proposal, is one strand of a collective bid – with each of the seven West Midlands’ local authorities identifying their own preferred areas for Investment Zones – being submitted to Government, on their behalf, by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Sandwell’s case is based around sites which – if successful – would create new housing, new industrial floorspace and possibly regenerate existing industrial and commercial premises, all within a 15-minute walk for the Metro line extension.

The Metro extension will link the west of Sandwell to the existing Wolverhampton to Birmingham Metro line and in to Dudley. The Zone could attract substantial private sector investment generating new jobs and economic growth for Sandwell.

If approved the six areas in a Sandwell Investment Zone could include:

• Wednesbury town centre – for housing led mixed use developments;
• Tipton town centre –  for new housing;
• Hill Top, West Bromwich – bringing forward land for new employment uses;
• Great Bridge – opportunities for new employment and housing sites;
• Dudley Port – supporting the delivery of new housing and employment floorspace;
• Coneygre, Tipton – delivering new employment opportunities through new industrial/ logistics floorspace.

Sandwell Council Leader, Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, said: “Sandwell is already growing.

"With a pipeline of £1.8bn of investment across out six towns, we are improving quality of life and making Sandwell a more sustainable, greener place by already delivering 66 regeneration projects funded by public and private sector investment.

“However, we want to grow more, which is why I fully support the submission of an expression of interest to Government for a Sandwell Investment Zone, next to the new Metro extension currently under construction from Wednesbury through Great Bridge, Dudley Port and Tipton.

“I would like to thank Shaun Bailey MP for his support for this proposal. I hope that in due course, Government supports the proposal so that businesses and residents can benefit from the additional opportunities that Investment Zone status could offer over a ten-year period.”

The submission to Government is a joint collaboration between the West Midlands Combined Authority, local councils and business leaders.