Fears for future of former Sunbeam building

And today there are fears that the factory will not attract the funding needed to bring it back into use as Wolverhampton City Council ruled itself out of taking on the building.

Scarce government funding is restricted mainly to schemes that would create jobs.

While proposals by developers Urban Splash would make the 120,000 sq ft site off the Penn Road islands into a "workspace", it would be up to whoever eventually occupies it to provide new employment.

Urban Splash has put the site back on the market following three years of disappointment and waiting.

Bosses were recently told their bid for funding had failed.

Sunbeam was once famous for its motorcycles but the building has been empty since 1999. These images from estate agents Michael Tromans show that inside the building is ready to be brought back into use but on the outside, heavy metal boards are covering its huge windows to keep intruders out.

Councillor Roger Lawrence, leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said the authority would not be able to afford to take the building on itself while it is finding ways to cope with £45 million of funding cuts.

He said: "We can't take it on as a council. We are still working with the developers.

"Before the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands was axed it use to provide funding for this sort of thing.

"In order to attract European funding we need to have match funding and that's something that was stopped when AWM was wound up. The Government has a regional growth fund but it tends to provide money for things that give an immediate return in terms of new jobs. Sunbeam would be the creation of a workspace and not new jobs.

"Urban Splash are selling it and we would be happy to work with them or whoever to bring it back into use."