Creative centre plan given green light
A proposed transformation of a historic Walsall building into a new creative industries hub has made a significant step forward.
Walsall Council’s planning committee granted permission for the conversion of the Grade II Listed Guildhall on the High Street into the Creative Industries Enterprise Centre.
The authority and non-profit CIC Urban Hax are looking to transform the building, along with the neighbouring old police station and ancillary properties into a centre featuring a café, gallery space, conference facilities and areas for machinery that will be available for use by local makers and creative industries.
Around £5.5 million funding has been secured from the Arts Council and the Department of Culture Media and Sport to deliver the scheme with work being carried out to secure more grants.
Work has already been carried out stripping out the inside of the buildings ahead of drawing up the layout of the centre, which is expected to attract up to 50 companies across five floors.
Committee members voted in favour of the plan at a meeting on Thursday with Mike Bird saying: “Hopefully, it will come forward to be a building we can be proud of. I think it is part of the heritage of the town.”
But Councillor Suky Samra said: “£5.4 million is being invested in this property. I do hope we’ve made the right decision. This is a listed building which needs a lot of work.”
Councillor Samra also raised concerns this application by the council was already before planning committee just months after it was agreed to purchase it when other applicants are left waiting much longer.
He said: “This isn’t a basic household application, this is a major application. As an authority, when we work with applicants we need to be fair and proportionate and, in this case, we may not be seen to be that as it is an application from this authority.”
But Councillor Bird said: “I do take on board this would appear, on the face of it, that this has gained more momentum than other householder applications.
“But it is time limited to the Government funding that is coming forward.”
He also added a backlog of planning applications to be determined had reduced by more than 50 per cent following additional support being put into the service.
