West Bromwich set for £8m investment after successful ERDF bid

PLANS to transform West Bromwich into one of the Black Country’s premier towns have been boosted by £4m of European funding.

The European Regional Development Fund investment follows a successful bid for funding by Sandwell Borough Council and its regeneration partners.

The money will be spent on the £8m Public Realm programme which aims to improve and link-up spaces between new developments in the town centre including The Public, Sandwell College, Providence Place and Dartmouth Park.

The council said the investment would improve the image and appeal of the town centre to visitors and help attract fresh inward investment and job opportunities. It includes visual improvements through artwork, landscaping, street furniture and the creation of a new square marking the gateway of the High Street.

The £4m has been matched by Sandwell Council and private sector funding and the scheme is part of a package of activities to develop and improve the South Black Country area.

Cllr Ian Jones, Sandwell’s cabinet member for jobs and skills, said: “Since the 1970s, West Bromwich Town Centre has experienced a lack of new business developments and struggled to attract new investment to a once thriving business destination.

“With a large numbers of vacant units and sites remaining undeveloped, urgent action was required. Recent developments have started to address these issues and improve the image of the town to encourage investment. We now need to keep momentum and the West Bromwich Town Centre Public Realm Programme is the ideal was to do this.”

Mark Foley, director of European Programmes at Advantage West Midlands, said: “West Bromwich Town Centre is already benefitting from significant investment in the new college and Providence Place. The Public Realm Programme will further improve the overall perception and performance of the area, creating the conditions for further investment and new employment opportunities for local communities.”

The project will be managed by Sandwell Council and is scheduled to be completed by summer 2015.