Dudley town centre gets a multi-million-pound boost

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has announced a new investment package to boost the regeneration of Dudley. 

£6.3m had been confirmed to pay for essential highway infrastructure and a further £2.1m will support the construction of Dudley College’s Black Country and the Marches Institute of Technology.

This investment is part of the latest funding deals under a massive, region-wide urban renewal programme which is using funds secured from the Government to drive a green economic recovery in the region.

With the construction of the street-running section of the Metro line now underway, the WMCA has announced that the Metro extension is due to open in 2024.

Other regeneration projects for the town include:

• A new £18m Dudley Leisure Centre
• A £28m Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, supported by the WMCA
• Improvements to both Dudley Zoo and the Black Country Living Museum

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: “For too long towns like Dudley had been left behind in the West Midlands, and I made it my mission when first elected as Mayor to work with Dudley Council to right this wrong.

‘The pandemic hasn’t made it easy over the last year, but we were utterly determined that we don’t get knocked off course and press ahead with the incredibly ambitious plans for Dudley.

‘I am therefore delighted that we’re able to announce the WMCA’s funding towards both the Portersfield and Institute of Technology developments, as well as mark the start of work on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill metro extension, serving Dudley town centre.

‘With a revamped town centre, new high quality educational facilities, and a first-class public transport network linked to the rest of West Midlands, Dudley is undergoing a major transformation thanks to some brilliant collaborative working.’

Cllr Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise added: ‘These are extremely exciting times for Dudley as a number of multi-million-pound projects reach critical stages.

There’s £1billion worth of investment gathering pace in Dudley and these projects give a flavour of what is to come over the next few years. These schemes will not only change the landscape of Dudley but also lead to more opportunities for people in terms of jobs, training and connectivity.’