Black Country JCS: Collaboration leading sub-region’s regeneration

THE regeneration of the Black Country is being led by a cross boundary, collaborative approach, spearheaded by the four heads of regeneration.

This culture of working together is critical for the four metropolitan borough councils who together serve more than 1m residents.

Focusing on the implementation of the Black Country Core Strategy, is one key aspect of their joint agenda.

The Joint Core Strategy, designed and adopted by councils in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley, is a new blueprint to boost regeneration, make the sub-region more competitive on a national and global scale and has acted as the basis for creating a more business orientated planning system.

Officially endorsed by central Government last year, it forms a 15-year joint-working mission.

Tim Johnson, executive director of urban regeneration at Walsall, told TheBusinessdesk.com: “The Black Country has a tradition of working together already with the consortium being around for a decade so we had a basis for joint working across the authorities anyway.

“This led us into a conversation about the required planning framework we needed for the sub-region and how we might achieve that.

“We are able to pool expertise and experience with a good mix and that’s a really important benefit we’re looking to exploit even further.

“In times of resourcing challenges, maintaining the full range of expertise in every authority is going to get more difficult. It’s an important thing that distinguishes the Black Country’s approach from other areas.”

An example of this joint working is the Burnt Tree Island project in Dudley. The authority joined forces with Sandwell to complete the £13m project which saw a congested traffic island turned into a new signal controlled crossroads.

Phil Coyne, assistant director for economic regeneration at Dudley, said: “It’s at a critical point across the Black Country but also in Dudley as one comes from the motorway network to its borders with Sandwell.

“It has sped up the flow of traffic, increased capacity and improved air quality in the area.”

Critically, regeneration leads focus on the total impact of prioritised projects.

Nick Bubalo, area director of regeneration with Sandwell, highlighted that: “In Sandwell, we’ve got the A41 underpass which serves strategically in terms of moving traffic through the Black Country and provides better access to Junction 1 of the M5, but it’s also critical in terms of the regeneration of West Bromwich town centre.”

The four authorities are hopeful the stability of a long-term plan, coupled with a broader base of skills and education, will be key to attracting inward investment and making the Black Country more competitive, particularly in the field of manufacturing.

Mr Coyne said: “It’s about providing choice – when there is a potential project, we want to provide an investor with a choice of locations across the sub-region.”

Keren Jones, assistant director of promotions and partnerships at Wolverhampton, added: “It provides consistency when you’re dealing with inward investment and your own existing companies in that we have a consistent picture for the Black Country. Regardless of whom a company speaks to, we’re sharing a common set of priorities.

“We have to compete on an international stage and to do that we have to be joined up at a level and capacity that global companies expect.”

• To read more about the development opportunities offered by the Black Country Joint Core Strategy, download the free supplement by clicking here. A free information event, Black Country – Open for Business, is also being held on September 29 in West Bromwich. Click through to learn more and register.