As you probably heard, Boris Johnson visited Dudley last month to announce a £5bn infrastructure investment package to help “build, build, build” the UK back to economic health after the coronavirus pandemic.

A substantial share was earmarked for regeneration projects within the West Midlands.

The Prime Minister’s plans include a £400m national housing fund, of which £84m will be allocated to brownfield regeneration in the West Midlands and the construction of 7,500 new homes on former industrial land. The package will also fund the use of advanced manufacturing in construction techniques to accelerate the building process, and includes a commitment to delivering a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing, and adhering to the WMCA’s procedures and principles.

Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The West Midlands has been leading the way since 2018 on regenerating brownfield land to create thousands of new homes, and I am pleased the Prime Minister has given us the cash needed to keep the work going at pace.”

The Prime Minister also announced national funding for hospital maintenance, school rebuilding and road projects, all of which we are hopeful will benefit our region.

We will continue to follow developments closely and spread the word about any arising opportunities for Sandwell businesses.

If you’re already planning a construction project, find out about how Think Sandwell can help by visiting our Property and Planning pages.