Co-WRC RSS feed for the Co-WRC tag
found 14 stories.
Comment
The Plastic Hippo 22 Aug 10
According to Mike Bird, the alpha male in the cartload of councillors currently closing down Walsall, Willenhall Leisure Centre was an open sore haemorrhaging money and had to go. Now that he has finally got his way in depriving swimmers, keep fit enthusiasts and pensioners of a valued and needed community facility, the building has suddenly become a valuable “council asset”.
Mike wants to flog it off to the highest bidder and claims that a troop of enthusiastic developers are flocking to his door wishing to transform the place into a cinema, skating rink or concert hall. Trouble is, shrieks Mike, they will not offer any money for it. This can hardly come as a surprise to the primate of all Walsall given the track record of “regeneration” in the borough…
Business
Duncan Tift BusinessDesk 26 Jul 10
The organisation charged with regenerating the borough of Walsall, Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC), is to close following the decision by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands to cut its funding.
WRC is responsible for promoting and facilitating the regeneration of large areas of Walsall, including the town centre, Walsall Gigaport, Walsall Waterfront South and the Darlaston Strategic Development Area…
Business
B'ham Mail 8 Jul 10
A threatened major housing scheme to regenerate the site of MG Rover’s former plant has been given the go-ahead – after a government agency found £3.6 million to subsidise it. And another £6.5 million has been found to subsidise building 164 homes at Walsall town centre near the canal, at a development known as the Waterfront South development.
Paul Spooner, regional director for the Homes and Communities Agency West Midlands said: “The announcement is great news. Many of the priority schemes for our local authorities and their development partners are now going ahead.
Comment
The Stymaster Pig Blog 30 Jun 10
I’ve had this one simmering away gently for some time, but @walsallcouncil finally pushed me past the edge with this on twitter: “Good to see the launch of superfast fibre-based broadband in Walsall. Download speeds of up to 40 mbs help with the town’s regeneration”. They’re talking about a regeneration scheme: Walsall’s [cough] Gigaport. I have a few issues with this.
First of all, mention Gigaport to me, or probably any other geek, and the first thing we’ll think of is this, or similar. Presumably the Giga bit is meant to sound all modern and hi-tech…
News
Advertiser 3 Jun 10
Ben Reid, the former chairman of the Walsall Regeneration Company, has received recognition for his ‘outstanding contribution’ to the build of Walsall College’s Wisemore Campus at a formal ceremony last Tuesday.
Red balloons were released as a commemorative plaque was unveiled at the entrance to the new Ben Reid block, which Mr Reid helped deliver as part of the borough’s regeneration strategy…
Business
Business Desk 6 Apr 10
An initiative has been launched to support businesses and regeneration in a deprived area of Walsall. The Darlaston Business Forum held its first meeting at the Innovation Works@Rubery Owen, where representatives had the chance to network, find out about business support schemes and to learn about the emerging regeneration plans for the area.
The event was organised by Walsall Regeneration Company and the Black Country Chamber’s Business Parks Services and supported by Walsall Council, Walsall College, Think Walsall and Darlaston JET…
Business news
Adam Lumley The YamYam 6 Dec 09
Chief Executive of Walsall Regeneration Company, Dr Peter Cromar, has announced his retirement from the company with immediate effect. The news comes just 7 weeks after chairman Ben Reid stepped down, blaming his departure on pressure of work. Dr Cromar, aged 61, wishes to spend more time with his family.
Walsall Regeneration Company was set up to attract substantial private and public sector investment to deliver a “thriving new Walsall – a town for enterprise” and hopes to secure nearly £1billion in funding over a 10 year period. Launched in January 2006, the company’s “Prospectus for Growth” sets out ambitious plans for 8 major regeneration projects including the upgrade of the Manor Hospital and the now opened Walsall College.
However, other projects have been dogged by delays, lack of investment, overspend and controversy. Plans for the regeneration of the St Matthews Quarter underwent a major review following the mysterious fire at Shannons Mill in August 2007 and the now notorious ring road was completed late and over budget. Following a cut in funding from Advantage West Midlands, the plans to transform the former IMI James Bridge copper works into a business park as part of the Darlaston Strategic Development Area were put on hold. Walsall Gigaport was granted outline planning permission in October 2008 but it is feared that the recession is causing a lack of outside investment in the project.
In May, Whitbread pulled out of the flagship £65million Waterfront development where they had intended to build a 120 bed hotel and restaurant. In July, the Waterfront project was scaled down. Dr Cromar has resigned 4 weeks after the government stepped in with an £8.5million “kickstart” for the stalled development. The funding from the Homes and Communities Agency means that Jessup in partnership with Accord Housing Association can start work on 158 homes as the first phase of Waterfront South. Whitbread has now re-entered negotiations with developers Urban Splash to revive the hotel scheme.
Speaking at the time of the government intervention in early November, Peter Cromar said: “This is the confidence boost we needed. No-one wanted to be the first to take the plunge, now this funding will enable Jessup to go ahead with their work and when other investors see the work going on they will be encouraged to get on board as well.
“It has been a long road, it was first mooted around 2002 when no one could forsee what was ahead but hopefully this is now the start of things to come.”
Newly appointed chairman of Walsall Regeneration Company, Brian Lowe said: “Peter has made a huge contribution in his time as chief executive but has now decided it is the right time to pursue other interests following the recently published External Review.
“Whilst we will miss Peter’s leadership of the WRC, the board has confidence in the rest of the WRC team to continue to work with all our partners.”
The departure of Dr Cromar coincides with the stepping down of entrepreneur Norman Price as chairman of the Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board.
Peter Cromar has a first class honours degree in Geography and PhD from Cambridge. He is also a qualified chartered accountant and has previously worked in Sheffield and as Chief Planning Officer in Wakefield. He said: “I have been chief executive of the WRC since its formation. The recent external review concluded that real progress has been made.”
Business news
Alun Thorne B'ham Post 19 Oct 09
The academic whose report into Birmingham was the catalyst for the Big City Plan has heaped praise on the regeneration efforts in neighbouring Walsall. Professor Michale Parkinson, director of the European Institute for Urban Affairs, described Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC) as one of the best performing anywhere in the UK…
News
The YamYam 15 Oct 09
Ben Reid, chairman of the Walsall Regeneration Company for 8 years, has resigned citing “work pressures” as the reason for stepping down.
Formed in 2001, WRC has focused on attracting private and public sector investment for a near £1 billion programme of major transformational projects in Walsall. Projects overseen by WRC include the building of a new Asda Superstore as part of the St Matthews Quarter project, the £65 million Walsall College building, the £172 million redevelopment of Walsall Manor Hospital and the delay-hit and over budget ring road. Future projects include the multi-million pound Waterfront development and the £400 million Walsall Gigaport, a business corridor based around the newly completed ring road.
Mr Reid, who is also chief executive at The Midcounties Co-operative and chairman of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, stated that he had come to his decision reluctantly.
“The time is right for me to step down” he said. “I`m sad to be going but 8 years is a good stint. I remain passionate and committed to Walsall and I will continue to do all I can for the town. Thanks in no small part to the work of WRC, its board and our dynamic executive team, and also our partners, the Walsall of today is a much changed and more confident place than when I first took up the challenge.
I`d like to thank the board for their support and, in particular, chief executive Dr Peter Cromar who is the real driving force.”
Controversy has surrounded some of the flag ship projects commissioned by WRC in recent years, most notably the £5 million overspend on the ring road and the unexplained fire that gutted Shannons Mill that was central to the St Matthews Quarter plans. The Waterfront project has been scaled down and the Gigaport scheme has, so far, attracted little interest.
Cabinet members of Walsall Council will discuss the Gigaport scheme as an agenda item under the boroughs forward plan when they meet next week…
Business
B'ham Post 2 July 09
The team delivering the major regeneration in Walsall is looking for two business people with a passion for the town to join the continuing drive for its transformation. Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC) wants to appoint two non-executive directors from the private sector who can add their skills to help restore Walsall as a vibrant force in the renaissance of the Black Country and Birmingham City Region…