Construction starts on industrial development in Walsall.

St Francis Group a leading UK-based property development and investment group, and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, is constructing the 113,000 sq ft unit.

Parallel 113, off the A4038, Darlaston Road, is due to be available for occupation from January.

The development will remediate a brownfield site of just over 2.5 hectares close to Junction 10 of the M6 which is currently undergoing a £78 million enhancement by Highways England to increase capacity and reduce congestion. When occupied the scheme will provide up to 200 new jobs.

MCS Construction has been appointed as the main building contractor.

St Francis Group is also being supported by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and Walsall Council in bringing the development forward.

St Francis Group development director Gareth Williams said: “We are delighted to be on site with the construction of another high-quality unit, and to be developing in such a prominent location adjoining the M6 motorway.

"There remains a distinct shortage of warehouse/industrial space across the Midlands and now that we have started on site, we expect a high level of interest from potential occupiers.

"The new unit will be extremely well connected being just under a mile from junction 9 of the M6, offering unrivalled connectivity and built to a high specification. We look forward to watching construction as it happens and seeing the progress on site.”

MCS Group managing director Keir Edmonds added: “MCS are pleased to continue their partnership with St Francis Group to deliver premium industrial space in the West Midlands. The project demonstrates how brownfield sites can be remediated utilising ground improvement techniques and put back into use, whilst retaining and enhancing the local environment and ecology.”