Updated plans for the proposed Health Innovation Centre on the site of the former Hippodrome are set to be approved by councillors this month

The ambitious project is set to be delivered within its £25m budget, with the fourth floor which was recently proposed to be removed from plans set to be reinstated.

The new building will have 4000 sq m of floorspace over four floors. The fourth floor will be constructed but not fully fitted out and remain vacant for potential future community use, subject to needs and future funding. In addition, there exists scope for future extension on the site should additional space be required. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council said:

"We are absolutely committed to this build and building it on budget. We’ve revised our plans so that we can still construct a four-storey building, while allowing room for future development if budgets allow."

Making a project of this scale and ambition takes time but we are getting closer to the day when this becomes a reality. The removal of asbestos is complete and preliminary set up by the demolition team has begun, but no work to the building has been undertaken.

Demolition will not start until all planning conditions are signed off over the coming weeks. Papers are also set to be signed which will give the council the power to use its Compulsory Purchase Order powers if necessary.

The project is being spearheaded by Dudley Council, one of the members of the Dudley Towns Fund Board will begin who were successful in bidding for £25m from the government’s £178.7 million Towns Fund.

The board’s members include Dudley Council, Dudley College of Technology, University of Worcester, tourist attractions and other key organisations in Dudley. The £25m building project will see the creation of a university campus led by Worcester University.

The university will be delivering its outstanding programmes centred around health care and allied professions, including nursing, midwifery, paramedic science and related health occupations from the new Dudley site.