Heritage charity joins £5m Stourbridge museum project

Plans to transform the old Stuart Crystal glassworks, also known as the White House Glass Cone, into the new attraction are under way with a bid for European funding to kickstart the project.

Conservation charity the British Glass Foundation would eventually take over the running of the museum in Wordsley, from site owner Complex Developments Ltd.

Under proposals, the ownership of Kingswinford's Broadfield House Glass Museum would be transferred from Dudley Council to the charity as part of the deal.

A council report states Broadfield House would then be sold off by the British Glass Foundation to fund its takeover of the new museum.

Dudley Council's director of the urban environment, John Millar, writing in the report said: "If successful the plan would be for Complex

Developments Ltd to sell the new museum to the British Glass Foundation, whilst the council's only obligation would be to transfer Broadfield House to the BGF and allow them to dispose of the asset in order that the receipt could be used to fund the purchase of the new museum."

He added: "There is an obligation on the British Glass Foundation to produce a robust business plan outlining how they would operate a new museum on the White House Glass Cone site and there could be a request for some council support in the initial period of its operation."

Complex Developments director Ian Harrabin said the charity was "part of the funding process" as they look to secure £2 million from the European Regional Development Fund for the project.

Further grants are also being applied for from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Heritage Enterprise scheme.

Campaigners fought to keep Broadfield House open three years ago after it was threatened with the axe under cost cutting proposals by the council.