Further £7m boost for Wolverhampton green hub
The West Midlands Combined Authority will fund the clean up of four brownfield sites in Wolverhampton, as the city council looks to kick its pioneering Green Investment Corridor into gear.
The £225m GIC is a long-term project to create an innovation district for green construction and advanced manufacturing, linking the University of Wolverhampton’s Springfield Campus, Science Park, and the i54 business park.
This week, city councillors in Wolverhampton voted to press ahead with plans to allocate funding for the first phase of the scheme, a decision which will see four sites prioritised ahead of a 2028 deadline to start work before a £20m chunk of central government funding expires.
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Now, the combined authority is set to offer up a further £7m in an effort to get spades in the ground on the project, expected to fund remediation work at the first phase sites to make them ready for onward development.
The work will form part of the wider first phase GIC scheme, which is set to deliver around 200,000 sq ft of light industrial, research and development, and office floorspace alongside enhanced research and development facilities for the University of Wolverhampton.
The purchase of three undisclosed sites intended for future development also forms part of the city council’s plans, approved at a cabinet meeting on 10 December.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Manufacturing remains at the heart of the West Midlands economy, but what we make, and how we make it, is evolving fast.
“Just as Watt and Boulton powered the first Industrial Revolution two centuries ago, the investments we’re making now will help our region drive the next one.
“My Growth Plan sets out our vision for an ambitious, resilient West Midlands economy that’s fit for the future. The Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor will at the cutting edge of sustainable, tech-led manufacturing, helping position our region as the best place for forward-looking businesses to invest and innovate.”
The city council submitted a hybrid planning application for the first phase of proposals, known collectively as Six Mile Green, in September.
If approved, work is expected to begin later next year.
Dr Pete Cross, University of Wolverhampton chief operating officer, said: “The Green Innovation Corridor demonstrates how collaboration across the West Midlands makes our region a powerful contributor to the UK’s transition to net zero.
“By working with partners and industry and expanding our world-class teaching and research facilities, we are creating the conditions for businesses to thrive, bringing investment, high-quality jobs and apprenticeships to Wolverhampton.”
