Latest News - Press Release
WALSALL REGENERATION LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR A BETTER FUTURE - 9 December 2009
The company charged with driving Walsall’s renaissance as a leading Black Country town believes the pace of change and delivery of major projects will step up a gear in the New Year.
The past 12 months have seen the completion of the new Ring Road, the opening of the £65 million Walsall College to boost skills and enterprise and progress on the £172 million Manor Hospital, which will be completed next year
2010 will see works take shape to transform Walsall Waterfront into a vibrant canalside area, the development of a Tesco superstore on the old college site and a renewed drive to realise the vision of the Walsall Gigaport business quarter.
Akshay Parikh, WRC’s chief operating officer, said: “The team at WRC is fully committed to delivering the major projects which will improve the town as a better place to live and work and provide more opportunities for our young people and the community as a whole.
“Walsall has come a long way since the early days when a vision and strategy was put in place for its regeneration and much has been done to raise its profile regionally, nationally and internationally. With the developments that have been completed, are underway or in the pipeline we are confident that Walsall will continue to attract interest from investors and developers.
“Our focus now is to work with Walsall Council and partners to ensure that the physical regeneration continues and the benefits translate into local jobs and local skills and provide opportunities for local people. We have strong links with partner organisations, health, education and community groups and we want them to benefit from the transformational projects.”
Council leader Councillor Mike Bird, said: “The Council has committed substantial resources to play its part in capturing the jobs and business opportunities for local suppliers that will come from Walsall’s regeneration. Our ‘Think Walsall’ initiative is all about working together to ensure that local people and businesses are ready to take up the jobs and supply chain opportunities from the major developments in the town.
“The Tesco superstore for example will create approximately 200 jobs. Demolition and clearance work on the site is well underway to prepare for the start of construction next year.”
Initial work has also started on the Waterfront South scheme thanks to an £8.5 million Homes and Communities Agency cash injection to kickstart the project. Developer Jessup will build 158 homes in the first phase of development at this key site. The homes are expected to be completed by March 2011 and provide accommodation for, among others,professional staff working at the new Manor Hospital.
Akshay, who has worked for WRC since 2006, has been given a new role after chief executive Dr Peter Cromar took early retirement this month.