Sandwell College site to be overhauled

Shops, offices and homes could fill the Sandwell College building in West Bromwich after students move on to a new £77 million campus, council chiefs have revealed.

The High Street landmark was owned by doomed regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, which is being abolished by the Government.

The site is now in the hands of the Government's Homes and Communities Agency. Authority chiefs are now working with Whitehall on redevelopment plans.

Sandwell Council has said it would support a "mixed use" of the site. Chiefs have also said they would back plans to turn the Pound Road campus, Oldbury, into homes.

The news comes after yesterday's revelation the college's Crocketts Lane campus in Smethwick could be transformed into houses.

Jobs and economy councillor Ian Jones said: "The sites at Crocketts Lane and Pound Road are owned by Sandwell College and their sale and future development is a matter for them. The council would support their redevelopment for housing.

"The campus in West Bromwich is owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and they are currently looking at what to do with the site when it becomes vacant.

"We will support a mixed use on the site and are working with the HCA to see how the site can be brought forward for development."

Sandwell College's new £77m building is set to open in Spon Lane, West Bromwich, next year.