Leader hails investment and transport investment in Dudley

The leader of Dudley Council today hailed millions of pounds of investment and a transport ‘revolution’ in the town.

nvestment is set to land in Dudley town centre including £20million from the Plan for Neighbourhoods project and the Midland Metro extension.

Work for the new metro link and Dudley Interchange are progressing at pace and once completed the authority will be reinstating new block paving and introducing new street furniture to open up the town centre. This builds on the restoration work undertaken over the last few years, most recently restoring the 1930s Art Deco style shopfront at Plaza Mall (former Woolworths) adding to the appeal of the marketplace.

The project complements other Townscape Heritage projects in Dudley, including shopfronts at Fountain Arcade, 14 New Street, and several in Wolverhampton Street.

It builds upon several town centre public realm improvements in the Market place and on Castle Street including the restoration of the Grade II* listed drinking fountain.

The recent launch of the Plan for Neighbourhoods Project which will see £20 million of Dudley town centre is also part of the investment over the next 10 years. Money can be spent on a wide range of things aligned to three goals of the programme: thriving places, stronger communities and taking back control.

For the town centre this will be public spaces, high streets and heritage, skills, employability and business growth, transport, safety and security amongst other things. This is a chance for local communities and businesses to direct priorities for funding projects. People are encouraged to complete the survey.

he authority received more than £7.2 million over the last 3 years from the West Midlands Combined Authority through the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) as well as just over £1 million through the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, and more than £500,000 through the government’s Multiply funding scheme.

The money has been used to support more than 500 businesses with business advice and guidance and has resulted in nearly £1.4 million being paid out in grants to borough firms. Through its partners the council has also supported nearly 250 residents to access business start-up support resulting in over 800 one to one coaching and advice sessions with 73 new business being created, and additional funding this year will continue to support both existing and new start up businesses across the borough.

Funding through Crowdfund Dudley, has resulted in £200,000 in grants already supporting 10 community schemes in the borough with funding also being used to support more than 30 events in borough town centres including Dudley.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council today welcomed the investment and said the future was bright for Dudley. He said: “We’re on the home straight in terms of the interchange and the metro which will revolutionise transport in Dudley, these will be up and running next year and more projects will fall into place around them.

“We’ll be reinstating the blocked paving, introducing new furniture and generally making the gateway to Dudley town centre and Market Place feel really appealing.

“This is all alongside ongoing work such as the restoration of our historic buildings, new businesses like Fun City who are currently converting the old Dudley Museum into a major leisure venue, and of course plans for the ice rink which will serve not just the people of Dudley but will draw in people from across the Black Country and wider Midlands region.

"Visitors to the market can see the recent improvement work on the market stalls themselves and a new outdoor seating area for visitors and shoppers.

"Plans for Fun City, in the former Dudley Museum building are progressing which is set to be given a new lease of life as a hospitality and leisure venue, featuring food and drink huts, indoor cricket, laser tagging, mini-golf, escapology rooms, and other activities, which will bring more people into the town.

"And just this month an economic impact assessment study for a 2,000-seater ice rink in Dudley concluded that the £9 million development, planned for Flood Street, is viable and could attract nearly 250,000 visitors a year once established.

This would provide a £40 million boost to the town’s economy in its first decade and create more than 100 jobs.

"It will add to the borough’s already strong tourism offer, with the Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo and Castle just down the road. More visitors means more spend and more money going to local businesses."