Steelworks redevelopment on track to help region meet housing needs

The regeneration of a former Black Country steelworks has hit a key milestone with the completion of a major land clean-up operation so the site is ready for the construction of dozens of affordable new homes.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, saw firsthand the progress being made on the highly anticipated Cookley Works scheme in Brierley Hill, which is being developed by Lovell Partnerships in collaboration with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Platform Housing Group.

Cookley Works is one of four brownfield sites unlocked through a strategic partnership between the WMCA and Lovell. This helping to drive forward the region’s ‘brownfield first’ policy which is focused on regenerating acres of derelict industrial land for affordable new homes, supporting the region’s housing needs.

The Mayor, who is also chair of the WMCA, visited the development in Leys Road following the completion of remediation work ahead of construction starting on the new housing plots. He was accompanied by Stuart Penn from Lovell Partnerships, Marion Duffy from Platform Housing Group, who will manage the properties and Cllr Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council.

(L-R) Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, Marion Duffy, chief operations officer at Platform Housing Group, Cllr Pat Harley, leader of Dudley Council, Stuart Penn, regional managing director for Lovell Partnerships and James Feakes, senior site manager Lovell

When complete, Cookley Works will become a thriving community offering a mix of affordable rent and low-cost home ownership. To date, the Lovell and WMCA partnership has delivered 700 new homes across the four sites – Saints Quarter in Wolverhampton, The Junction in Oldbury, Lockside in Walsall and Cookley Works.

More than 45% of the new homes are classed as affordable, under the WMCA’s own regional definition, which is linked to real world local wages rather property prices.

The Mayor said: “Cookley Works is another great example of the commitment of the WMCA, alongside partners Dudley Council, Lovell and Platform Housing Group to continue delivering good quality, affordable homes for our communities.

“Despite the challenges of the last couple of years, we’ve continued to make significant investments into the regeneration of brownfield land, unlocking previously difficult to develop sites for new homes, helping to protect our precious green belt in the process.

“This is also helping to drive our economic recovery by creating vital new jobs and apprenticeships and I look forward to seeing local people move into these new homes and create a thriving, attractive new community.” 

Stuart Penn, regional managing director for Lovell Partnerships, said: “Having begun work to prepare the site for building, it was a great opportunity to welcome Andy Street and show him around this area where this fantastic project will come to fruition.

“Partnerships such as the one between Lovell and WMCA are vital to help meeting the housing demand for communities and aligns with our mission to create a lasting legacy.”

The scheme is part of a multi-million-pound investment deal agreed between Lovell and WMCA that will see the delivery of 4,000 new homes over eight years and help the region meet its target of building 215,000 homes by 2031.

The WMCA has invested £1million in the Cookley Works scheme which will feature 71 new homes.

Stuart added: “Not only does this provide much-needed affordable housing, but it also brings job opportunities and an economic boost that will help rejuvenate the local area.

“The partnership of public and private sector skills along with investment has been hugely successful in utilising brownfield sites, which would otherwise remain disused, while easing the pressure on green belt land. This includes our schemes at Saints Quarter, Lockside and The Junction in, where work is ongoing to create 234 new, energy-efficient homes.”

Located midway between Dudley and Stourbridge town centres, Cookley Works is being built on land that had remained derelict for more than a decade. The last business on the site closed in 2007, ending more than 150 years of steel industry in the area.

An ideal location for residential development, the site is also close to the Merry Hill shopping centre where there are ample amenities, as well as leisure activities such as the Black Country Living Museum. The area is also well connected with transport options to the M5 and nearby train stations offering rail links north and south.

Marion Duffy, chief operations officer at Platform Housing Group, said: “We are really pleased to deliver much needed affordable housing for the community.

“It’s especially pleasing that this site uses remediated land as a solution, protecting vital green space in the area. I’d like to thank our partners, notably Lovell and the WMCA for their work towards bringing this project to fruition.”