Council services set to move as plans revealed to buy building

Education, children’s services and social care will be relocating to Cable Plaza at the Waterfront, with properties currently occupied by them being declared surplus to requirement and put up for sale.

The services will join Dudley Performing Arts (DPA), which already has a specialist base there.

Dudley Council said it is currently in negotiations to buy Cable Plaza from Resonance, which announced earlier this year it was putting its Waterfront base on the market.

DPA, which is at the forefront of music education in the borough and is now leading on a new Black Country Music Hub, is a tenant at Resonance.

Over recent months the council has looked at options for rehousing DPA, but said the estimated cost of converting any building to provide the specialist environment needed, such as soundproofing and repurposing interiors for music studios and tuition, had proved excessive.

It said that buying the site and moving other council services into Cable Plaza will free up some of the council’s other sites, for sale.

Black Country Radio will also remain a tenant at the site.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: “With the council facing financial pressure, it is working on a strategy to streamline the number of buildings and have a sustainable workplace.

“We are currently in negotiations to purchase Cable Plaza and plan to move services from older sites to this modern space, which already has all the specialist facilities for DPA.

“This will mean sites requiring higher maintenance can be declared surplus to requirement and put up for sale, saving money in the long term.”

Dudley Council were contacted for a comment on the sale.