Origin signs off first phase of £126m logistics scheme
The transformation of a former Walsall copper works into one of the Midlands’ largest industrial and logistics hubs has hit a major milestone, with the first 270,000 sq ft of space now complete on the heavily remediated SPARK site.
Developer Origin, a joint venture between developers HBD and Feldberg Capital, moved in at the 44-acre former James Bridge Copper site in March this year, following a lengthy local-authority backed programme of remediation works on the heavily contaminated site.
The former smelting works, also a former colliery and ironstone mine in the mid-19th century, was the largest brownfields regeneration project in the West Midlands when work started on transforming the site in 2020.
Now, two units totalling 270,000 sq ft are ready for occupation, with planning permission for a second phase of development set to ad a further 100,000 sq ft of space by the end of next year.
Vivienne Clements, Executive Director at HBD, said: “It’s fantastic to see the first phase of SPARK now complete – it’s an excellent example of public private partnership done well, creating one of the best I&L schemes in the Midlands, just minutes from the M6 at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing and logistics economy and with the potential to create hundreds of new jobs.”
Described by then leader of Walsall Council Mike Bird as “the most contaminated site in Europe”, clean-up work kicked off in 2020 with several local authorities chipping in to the cost of works.
The West Midlands Combined Authority contributed to the remediation of the 44-acre site, alongside Walsall Council and Homes England, describing the funding as a “multi-million pound investment” made through a partner organisation.
The redevelopment is expected to create as many as 1,100 new jobs.
Jamie Acheson, Managing Director of Feldberg Capital, said: “The delivery of SPARK’s first phase underlines Origin’s strategy of investing in well-located, ESG-compliant assets with strong fundamentals. SPARK is a best-in-class I&L scheme that meets the evolving needs of occupiers while supporting long-term economic growth in the region.”
The agents for SPARK are Cushman and Wakefield and Box4 Real Estate.
