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NEW WALSALL REGENERATION CHAIRMAN ON MISSION TO PROMOTE HOMETOWN’S RENAISSANCE - 27 January 2010
Walsall born businessman Brian Lowe is on a mission to promote his hometown’s renaissance and to attract more investors and developers to help realise its transformation as a leading force in the Black Country
The new chairman of Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC) wants to spread the word about the changing face of the town and the multi million pound innovative regeneration schemes that are underway and to come.
He said: “I am keen to engage more fully with the business community, and indeed the community as a whole, so that together we can turn the vision of a resurgent Walsall as a better place to live and work into a reality. WRC is working closely with its partners to deliver major projects. We need to spread that message and take people with us on this exciting journey, to get them involved and be a part of it.”
Even this self-confessed optimist knows these are challenging times to push forward development in an economic recession.
But he feels the completion of the new Ring Road, last September’s opening of the £65 million Walsall College and the £172 million Manor Hospital development, which opens later this year, show real progress is being made. And with work now started to bring new life to the Walsall Waterfront area and a new Tesco superstore to take shape on the old college site there is much to be hopeful about.
Brian has been involved with WRC since 2001 but has been involved with regeneration in the town for much longer. Some 30 years ago he was instrumental in the establishment of Premier Business Park (Walsall) Ltd, the first example in the country of business led urban regeneration, with representatives of 50 local companies.
In 2003, in recognition of his work in industrial regeneration, he was invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. “The evening was organised to mark the contribution of pioneers to the life of the nation and it was a real honour to be invited and to be part of such a special evening,” said Brian.
Today he is life president of Premier Business Park (Walsall) Ltd and holds a number of unpaid posts with business organisations including the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Walsall Chamber of Commerce.
He is vice chairman of governors at Walsall College too and was particularly pleased to see the new building open to provide the education, skills, training and enterprise that will equip young people for the future.
Brian said: “It is an amazing, inspirational building and will be beacon of the new spirit and energy that will help transform Walsall. Investment in education and training is crucial to the regeneration of Walsall so we can give people the skills they need to succeed. The college sits at the heart of the proposed Gigaport business district and will have access to its high speed, big bandwidth next generation communications platform.
“I believe it will help find and encourage the entrepreneurs of the future.”
Brian’s own daughters returned to live and work in Walsall after going to university. He is aware that one of the challenges for Walsall is to retain its young people and regeneration in all its forms – from homes and businesses to health, education and the town’s leisure and retail offer – has a significant role to play.
Since retiring in 2005 as managing director of Walsall’s Lobro Tools Ltd, a family owned precision engineering company, Brian has had more time to pursue his wide ranging interests in regeneration, business and further education fields.
Brian said: “I can speak from experience when it comes to Walsall because I was born, educated, worked and live here. I am proud to be involved in its transformation and I know that WRC and all of our partners are fully committed to continuing the regeneration of Walsall.
“We are focused on key regeneration projects in the town, on attracting investors and developers and providing more opportunities for the community in Walsall.”
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