£6m Dudley Archives building is taking shape
These are the latest pictures of the multi-million pound archives project in Dudley which has now reached the half-way mark.
The construction of the Dudley Archives building is on track to be completed this summer.
External cladding on the £6 million building, which is being built near the Black Country Living Museum on Tipton Road, is almost complete and the maze of ducting to the air handling units is also taking shape.
Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member responsible for archives, said: "The exciting work to create an archives centre in Dudley, that we are sure will be the envy of others, is gathering pace all the time.
"We have now reached the half-way stage of the development work as construction started last summer and is on schedule to be completed this summer. As well as housing the borough's archives, once open, the new state-of-the-art centre will provide IT and wireless services, education and conference rooms, a rare books library and a research room."
The centre is being built by Midland's contractor GF Tomlinson and is being part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, as part of the wider redevelopment of the Castle Hill area of Dudley.
Once the building is finished, Dudley Council's archives service will relocate from its existing building, in Mount Pleasant, Coseley. When the new building opens it will also be used to store documents for neighbouring Sandwell Council.
The council says it is committed to preserving and protecting the borough's historic collections which date back to the 12th century and which have outgrown the existing site after years items being accumulated.
