Old Walsall Caparo site ready to be cleaned up and turned into housing
A plan to create hundreds of homes and jobs has taken a step forward after a multi-million funding deal was announced.
The former Caparo engineering site next to the A34 Green Lane in Walsall has been derelict for more than a decade.
The West Midlands Combined Authority funding means the former steelworks site can now be cleaned up and made ready for redevelopment with 252 homes.
The WMCA will also provide support in tackling the land remediation and other issues on the site so that new housing and industrial land close to Walsall town centre can be brought forward by the developers.
WATCH: Footage shows old Caparo site
Work is expected to start later this year on the scheme, which has been in the pipeline for years.
Councillor Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio holder for housing and land and leader of Walsall Council added: “Caparo’s regeneration is a symbol of the direct intervention the WMCA is making as part of a housing and land programme that is leading the way nationally.
"Breathing new life into this site in this way is just the latest boost to the region’s drive to build enough homes to meet future demand.”
A reserved matters planning application for the 252-home scheme was recently submitted and a decision is expected by the summer. The project will also create local jobs and 15 apprenticeships during construction.
Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “We’re thrilled to be working collaboratively with the WMCA to deliver multi-tenure communities at both scale and pace, which will help to address the shortage of high-quality homes across the West Midlands, where this partnership will see 4,000 brand-new homes delivered in the next eight years.”
Whg’s group chief executive, Gary Fulford, added: “We are always looking at new and creative ways to tackle the housing shortage and the development of the former Caparo site in Walsall will provide more good quality and affordable homes for families in Walsall. This has been made possible by working in partnership with WMCA.”
The WMCA will also provide support in tackling the land remediation and other issues on the site so that new housing and industrial land close to Walsall town centre can be brought forward by the developers.
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “It is great to see another derelict brownfield site being brought back into use for much needed new housing thanks to the WMCA.
“Not only will this scheme help to further ease pressure on the greenbelt in the Black Country, but it will also help increase the number of affordable homes being built across the region.”
Plans were unveiled in October last year as part of a joint venture partnership between Anthem Homes, owned by Walsall Housing Group, and housing developer Lovell.
It is due to feature a range of homes to suit different living circumstances. A reserved matters planning application for the 252-home scheme was recently submitted and a decision is expected by the summer. The project will also create local jobs and 15 apprenticeships during construction. The 16.5 acre Caparo site in Birchills was put on the market after its owners applied for 252 homes.
