Former West Midlands School Site to be Transformed into Industrial Facility
A former West Midlands school site is set to be redeveloped into a multi-million pound industrial facility for a firm supplying to the automotive sector. Trebor Redevelopments has entered into conditional contracts with Steel & Alloy Processing to bring the new development forward, set for the former Albright High School in Popes Lane, Oldbury. A 300,000 sq ft manufacturing site will be developed on the 11.6 acre site, which will significantly expand the current production capacity of Steel & Alloy Processing, which is currently based in West Bromwich. Steel & Alloy Processingâs Managing Director, Mark Cooper, said that having purchased the site from Sandwell Council last year, everyone involved with the company was pleased to see the plan move forward. Cooper commented: This new facility will be less than one mile from our existing head office and will enable us to invest in new technologies putting us at the forefront of steel processing for a rapidly changing steel industry. This is a very significant, multi-million-pound investment in the steel processing sector to support the growing UK automotive sector. This investment is unlike anything that has been seen in the UK for a very long time, which confirms the confidence that Gonvarri Steel Industries has in the Steel & Alloy Management team and the UK automotive sector. Furthermore, the scheme is a show of confidence in the regionâs steel processing industry following last yearâs collapse of Caparo. Already, the site has outlined planning permission for B1 and B2 development and subject to approval of reserved matters by Sandwell Borough Council, the development could begin next spring and be operational by 2018, creating new jobs in the area. Bob Tattrie, managing partner for Trebor Developments, said that the scheme offered exciting potential for both Steel & Alloy Processing and the immediate area.
