Plans to create 4,000 jobs by regenerating 37 acres of derelict industrial land in Walsall have suffered a setback after a deal to sell it fell through.
Walsall Council’s Tory-Lib Dem cabinet has pulled the plug on a multi-million pound deal to transform the former IMI James Bridge Copper Works site at Darlaston – known as the Phoenix 10 project.
An £18 million deal, between the council, the Homes and Communities Agency – which took over ownership of the site following the closure of Advantage West Midlands – and developer Parkhill Reclamation and Regeneration would have seen the site decontaminated, restored and turned into a warehouse and distribution hub ideally located next to the M6.
But due to a breakdown in negotiations with Parkhill following public funding cuts the deal has now been cancelled and Walsall Council must seek a new developer.
The council and HCA are looking at paying for the reclaimation and then selling the land, which lies in the Black Country Development Zone, ready for development.
Labour opposition leader Coun Tim Oliver said he fears that the opportunity to develop the site has now been lost and it will be blighted and a further blow to the borough’s economy.
He said: “The failure of the HCA and Walsall Council to deliver on these 4,000 promised jobs is a disaster for Alumwell, Darlaston, and for Walsall and the Black Country as a whole.
“Comprising two-thirds of the 39 acres which makes up Walsall’s element of the Black Country enterprise zone, its sale is centrally to the success of the council’s regeneration plans.
"However, it seems Walsall Council has never considered a plan B and these badly needed jobs might now never materialise.
“Along with Labour local councillors representing Alumwell and Darlaston, we will be demanding an explanation from the council as the first step in preventing this whole project sinking without trace.”
The Conservative Lib Dem coalition Cabinet however argues that the Pheonix 10 project can, like its namesake, rise again.
Cabinet member for regeneration Coun Adrian Andrew said that the project is still moving forward and it remains on target to deliver against original planned timescales.
He said: “Working with our partners from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency we continue to be deeply committed to turning the Phoenix 10 site into a place that provides hundreds of new jobs and are grateful for the interest that Parkhill showed in the site, but we now need to quickly move the project forward.
“It’s right next to the M6 motorway and brilliantly located and while we must first overcome the hurdle of reclaiming the land we are looking to understand the best way of attracting investment and jobs onto the site.
“We’re working with specialists who will give us a more complete picture of the reclamation and redevelopment options for how we should move forward.
“We hope to receive a further report in March proposing a preferred way forward.
“We do want to clearly repeat our commitment to the site. It’s one of the reasons why we included the land in the Black Country enterprise zone which the Government granted last year.”
Enterprise zone status offers both financial incentives and fast track planning processes to encourage private sector investment.
