Archives base for Black Country Living Museum ruled out

Plans to build a new base for Dudley and Sandwell's archives at the Black Country Living Museum have been axed in favour of an alternative site.

Dudley Council has now earmarked the nearby former Royal Brierley Crystal site in Tipton Road for the development after land at the museum was deemed to be "unsuitable".

The scheme will cost £6 million and if plans are approved, building work will get under way in the autumn. It is hoped that the centre will open in April 2013.

Under the new plans, the Royal Brierley Crystal building will be demolished to make way for the new archives centre, which will have a local history library, a conservation studio, archive storage and education facilities such as a lecture theatre and conference rooms.

Plans are set to be submitted in March and go before the council's development control committee in May.

Originally the new archives building would have adjoined the museum's reception but a survey showed the ground conditions were not suitable.

Dudley Council cabinet member for archives Councillor David Simms said: "We are committed to providing a service that will make archives easily accessible to all and protect local history for future generations."

The new building will replace the current Dudley base in Mount Pleasant, Coseley, and access will be provided from the Black Country Living Museum to the new base.

Director and chief executive at the museum, Andrew Lovett, said: "It is very good news that the council is continuing to prioritise the development of a new archive and local history centre for Dudley, and we are delighted that their pre-building studies have concluded that the best and most cost-effective site remains very close to the museum."

Sandwell Council's cabinet member for youth, culture and leisure Councillor Ann Shackleton, said the authority would use the new building for storage and conservation of its archives and the current service based at Smethwick Library would still be available.