New jobs set for former scrapyard site

A FORMER Black Country scrapyard is to be transformed into an industrial site creating 200 jobs after funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

A 121,000 sq ft warehouse is to be developed on a six-acre site in Seven Stars Road, Oldbury, by Opus Land and Palmer Capital.

Work on the ‘XPANSE 120’ project is being supported by new funding from the Collective Investment Fund, run by the

West Midlands Combined Authority, and is part of a £750 million war chest to support new housing and commercial developments.

Much of that funding is being allocated towards the remediation of former industrial sites to support the authority’s ‘brownfield first’ approach which it is hoping will relieve pressure on the green belt.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “This is yet another example of how, by working collaboratively with partners in the public and private sector, we are able to unlock unwanted brownfield land, in this case a former scrap yard.

“This site will now no longer be a blight on the area – instead it will become a large industrial unit capable of supporting many jobs and businesses here in Sandwell.

“We are working hard across the West Midlands to clean up derelict brownfield sites like this to prepare them for development, creating the jobs and houses our region needs.”

This is the second scheme the combined authority has helped to finance for Opus Land after awarding the company funds from the Combined Investment Fund to develop two industrial units totalling 283,000 sq ft of accommodation at the former Kingswood colliery, near Cannock.

Tom Edgar, development director of Opus Land, added: “We will start construction speculatively, with completion due in spring, knowing that units of this size and location are in very high demand.”