The West Midlands Mayor’s vision for the West Midlands to lead the UK in a new era of clean, green, technology-led manufacturing has taken a major step forward with a £7 million investment to launch Wolverhampton’s pioneering Green Innovation Corridor.
The funding, approved at today’s meeting of the region’s Investment Zone Board, will prepare four brownfield sites near the University of Wolverhampton Science Park – collectively known as Six Mile Green – for development.
Once complete, the sites will host up to 600 high-quality jobs and apprenticeships in clean-tech, sustainable construction, cyber security, and green manufacturing and engineering.
The GIC is one of three flagship Investment Zone sites in the West Midlands, alongside Birmingham’s Knowledge Quarter and the Coventry and Warwick Investment Zone. Delivered by City of Wolverhampton Council and the University of Wolverhampton, the GIC will link key assets including the Springfield Campus, Science Park, and i54 advanced manufacturing business park.
The clean-up of the sites, funded through the Investment Zone programme, is expected to attract over £22 million of private investment into Wolverhampton. Construction of 12,000 sqm of innovation and commercial space will create an additional 100 jobs, providing facilities for start-ups, scale-ups, and established firms.
The West Midlands Investment Zone, led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is aiming to deliver 30,000 new jobs, £5.5 billion of investment and the retention of £1.5 billion in business rates over 25 years to reinvest locally.
Other key developments include:
- Coventry and Warwick Investment Zone, anchored by Greenpower Park, creating up to 6,000 jobs in battery manufacturing and EV supply chains
- Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, driving growth in health, med-tech, and digital industries, with a £400 million partnership announced earlier this year
Investment Zone funding will also support:
- Supply chain transition programmes with R&D grants and leadership training
- An equity fund for early-stage businesses
- Skills training and apprenticeships to ensure local people benefit from new opportunities
Commenting on the development, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said:
“Manufacturing remains at the heart of the West Midlands economy, but what we make, and how we make it, is evolving fast.
“Just as Watt and Boulton powered the first Industrial Revolution two centuries ago, the investments we’re making now will help our region drive the next one.
“My Growth Plan sets out our vision for an ambitious, resilient West Midlands economy that’s fit for the future. The Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor will at the cutting edge of sustainable, tech-led manufacturing, helping position our region as the best place for forward-looking businesses to invest and innovate.”
Image credit: iStock
