Multi million investment in Dudley regeneration briefing at Forum for the Built Environment meeting

Plans to regenerate Dudley were outlined to an audience of local property and construction professionals at the Black Country and Telford branch of the Forum for the Built Environment's (FBE) recent breakfast meeting, held at Dudley Zoo.

Braving the snow, almost 50 members and guests were the first to hear Steve Johnson – director of estates and capital projects at Dudley College, outline their plans to invest over £30 million into Dudley town centre to create a new learning quarter and Bill Kirk – chief executive of New Heritage Regeneration Limited, share plans for more than 20 projects that will give the public realm in Dudley a facelift and support and encourage further investment and regeneration.

Steve Johnson said: "The new learning quarter will support the relocation of an additional 250 staff and 1,500 college students from the town centre bringing a £1.5M annual spend to Dudley town centre.  The scheme will reinforce Dudley as the education capital of the Black Country and also release 14 acres of residential land aiding the borough's plans for housing development."

Bill Kirksaid: "We have 350,000 sq ft of development within our master plan for Dudley Town Centre, including a newanchorfood retail operator.  Castle Hill is also a key site because it is a very successful tourist attraction.  The zoo, museum and canal trust all bring in 600,000 visitors a year."

In his closing remarks Philip Beale, thanked the two speakers for their thought provoking and informative presentations and welcomed the news of the investment in the area: "These schemes not only represent a radical new vision for the town, they could be considered at the very heart of the future prosperity of this town together with a much needed economic stimulus to the surrounding boroughs."

Plans to regenerate Dudley were outlined to an audience of local property and construction professionals at the Black Country and Telford branch of the Forum for the Built Environment's (FBE) recent breakfast meeting, held at Dudley Zoo.

In introducing the guest speakers Philip Beale, chairman of the fbe committee for the Black Country and Telford branch, noted that the event marked the first combined public presentation of two highly important capital investment programmes. 

Braving the snow, almost 50 members and guests were the first to hear Steve Johnson – director of estates and capital projects at Dudley College, outline their plans to invest over £30 million into Dudley town centre to create a new learning quarter and Bill Kirk – chief executive of New Heritage Regeneration Limited, share plans for more than 20 projects that will give the public realm in Dudley a facelift and support and encourage further investment and regeneration.

Steve Johnson said: "The new learning quarter will support the relocation of an additional 250 staff and 1,500 college students from the town centre bringing a £1.5M annual spend to Dudley town centre.  The scheme will reinforce Dudley as the education capital of the Black Country and also release 14 acres of residential land aiding the borough's plans for housing development."

Bill Kirksaid: "We have 350,000 sq ft of development within our master plan for Dudley Town Centre, including a newanchorfood retail operator.  Castle Hill is also a key site because it is a very successful tourist attraction.  The zoo, museum and canal trust all bring in 600,000 visitors a year."

In his closing remarks Philip Beale, thanked the two speakers for their thought provoking and informative presentations and welcomed the news of the investment in the area: "These schemes not only represent a radical new vision for the town, they could be considered at the very heart of the future prosperity of this town together with a much needed economic stimulus to the surrounding boroughs."

Plans to regenerate Dudley were outlined to an audience of local property and construction professionals at the Black Country and Telford branch of the Forum for the Built Environment's (FBE) recent breakfast meeting, held at Dudley Zoo.

In introducing the guest speakers Philip Beale, chairman of the fbe committee for the Black Country and Telford branch, noted that the event marked the first combined public presentation of two highly important capital investment programmes. 

Braving the snow, almost 50 members and guests were the first to hear Steve Johnson – director of estates and capital projects at Dudley College, outline their plans to invest over £30 million into Dudley town centre to create a new learning quarter and Bill Kirk – chief executive of New Heritage Regeneration Limited, share plans for more than 20 projects that will give the public realm in Dudley a facelift and support and encourage further investment and regeneration.

Steve Johnson said: "The new learning quarter will support the relocation of an additional 250 staff and 1,500 college students from the town centre bringing a £1.5M annual spend to Dudley town centre.  The scheme will reinforce Dudley as the education capital of the Black Country and also release 14 acres of residential land aiding the borough's plans for housing development."

Bill Kirksaid: "We have 350,000 sq ft of development within our master plan for Dudley Town Centre, including a newanchorfood retail operator.  Castle Hill is also a key site because it is a very successful tourist attraction.  The zoo, museum and canal trust all bring in 600,000 visitors a year."

In his closing remarks Philip Beale, thanked the two speakers for their thought provoking and informative presentations and welcomed the news of the investment in the area: "These schemes not only represent a radical new vision for the town, they could be considered at the very heart of the future prosperity of this town together with a much needed economic stimulus to the surrounding boroughs."