University joins forces with land regeneration database

The University of Wolverhampton’s Brownfield Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) has joined forces with land regeneration activists Land Hero to showcase the region’s former industrial brownfield sites with the aim of giving these redundant pieces of land a new lease of life.

With a long industrial heritage, the university says the Black Country faces a challenge when it comes to redeveloping the many former brownfield sites that are currently sitting dormant.

But now, more than 1,100 of these potential development sites will now be highlighted through a unique search tool on land database Land Hero, shining a spotlight on opportunities in the region in a bid to attract developers.

Launched in May 2020, Land Hero is the brainchild of Hagley-based firm Land Attic.

With thousands of visitors every month and over 10,000 potential sites currently listed, its aim is to enlist the public in spotting and reporting potential development sites.

Director Ben Tibbetts said: “Being West Midlands based ourselves, we’ve watched BRIC’s work with great interest as it’s such a great initiative to help get the former industrial sites of the Black Country back into effective use. We are pleased to partner with them and offer a bespoke search tool that will enable us to highlight their sites to our national audience of developers and land buyers, to hopefully build a brighter future for the region.”

A University of Wolverhampton initiative with funding from the European Regional Development Fund Programme, BRIC provides free support to Black Country businesses who need help with any aspect of brownfield regeneration.

With the main aim of getting brownfield sites back into economic use, the agency offers initial business support, detailed research and development support.

Dr. Tony West, knowledge transfer manager at the Brownfield Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), said: “The Black Country has been hit hard over recent years and so it’s great that we’re able to support local businesses to get disused sites back into action. We’re delighted that Land Hero has developed a specialist search tool that specifically highlights the land opportunities we have in the region as it’s this level of national exposure that really showcases what we have to offer.”