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GO-AHEAD FOR £400 MILLION WALSALL GIGAPORT HAILS A DYNAMIC FUTURE FOR BLACK COUNTRY TOWN - 22 October 2008
Regeneration leaders have hailed the go-ahead for the £400 million Walsall Gigaport as a major milestone in revolutionising the Black Country town’s economy and equipping it for the 21st century.
Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC) is driving the ambitious development for a dynamic business quarter with super-fast communications technology which will attract new industries, create high quality jobs and enable it to compete in a global market place.
The strategically important office corridor, with the new Walsall College at its heart, will use optical technologies that will enable companies to do business hundreds of times faster than current broadband speeds.
WRC chief executive Dr Peter Cromar said: “The outline planning consent from Walsall Council’s Development Control Committee is one of the biggest planning decisions made in the West Midlands region this year. It is a very significant step in the process to deliver this transformational scheme for a 23 hectare site that could create 3,000 jobs.
“It is all part of realising our vision of Walsall as a Town for Enterprise and we can now go with confidence to developers and investors to make Gigaport a reality. Even in the current difficult economic climate we believe we can attract serious players and work with them to help them put forward detailed planning applications.”
The outline permission is for 127,000 sq m of high quality offices, including a Business Incubation Centre; a 4,000 sq m data centre, a 4,000 sq m hotel, 23,000 sq m of live/work space and a 6,000 sq m health and sports facility.
Dr Cromar said: “Crucially the developments will be connected to a next generation access broadband platform. The high speed, big bandwidth, secure network will attract sectors such as finance, health and the digital creative industries.
“The new Walsall College, already under construction, will be at the heart of the scheme, helping to build the skill base for industries looking to find an ideal location for their business.
“In an increasingly competitive global market place connectivity has to be a key priority. Gigaport’s combination of high quality business space in a campus type environment within a ten minute walk of the town centre and with a fibre optic communications platform is unique in the UK.”
Councillor John O’Hare, Walsall Council leader, welcomed the development that would bring jobs and investment to the borough.
He said: “This is an excellent development that is an important milestone towards the goal of a £400 million plan that will have a major impact on the borough. Creating a £400 million development will help put Walsall in a strong position for the rest of the century.”
WRC chairman Ben Reid said: “We are embracing a technological revolution to help create a dynamic, sustainable 21st century economy that will benefit all of our diverse communities.
“The investment proposed will show our young people that they have a great future here. It will help stem the flow of young professionals and educated people away from Walsall as Gigaport is geared towards delivering a significant amount of highly skilled employment in the town centre.
“I welcome the approval of this planning application as it is a clear indication that Walsall Council and WRC are on the same wavelength. This can only be good for the future of Walsall.”
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For further information please contact
Lorna Bishop or Nigel Pipkin
at Seal Communications on 0121 200 0780
or email lornabishop@sealcommunications.co.uk