A major Black Country redevelopment scheme could be back on track just weeks after the collapse of an £18 million deal.
The Pheonix 10 project, which will see the former IMI copper works site at Darlaston redeveloped, has undergone and appropriately pheonix-like revival.
Walsall Council and the Government backed Homes and Communities Agency will now go it alone after their deal will developer Parkhill Estates fell through.
It was hoped to decontaminate the 37 acre site and create a major industrial hub ideally located next to the M6 and M5 motorways and create thousands of jobs.
Walsall Council is now taking the lead on the project and hopes to develop the site, which is part of the Black Country Enterprise Zone, along a similar timescale to that previously agreed with Parkhill.
Coun Adrian Andrew, in charge of regeneration for Walsall Council, said they have now acted quickly to rescue the scheme.
He said: “The development of the site is a key priority for the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Council. We have jointly commissioned work with HCA to review the options and this will be completed shortly.
“This will enable us to agree a preferred way forward in March and then move on with delivery to a similar timetable to that if Parkhill had still been involved.
“The council is now playing a key role in driving this project forward; we have always recognised the benefits it brings in terms of cleaning up the site and creating jobs and investment in the borough and now we are trying to make this happen.”
He added that earlier figures of 4,000 jobs being created put out by Parkhill at the project outset have been revised down to nearer 3,000 jobs.
