Dudley Town Centre

Dudley Council is seeking investors/developers to work in partnership with the local authority, West Midlands Combined Authority and Homes England to bring forward a phased programme of development of residential, retail, leisure and employment projects across Dudley Town Centre.
The comprehensive investment programme includes the following projects:

• Portersfield retail, leisure and residential scheme
• Housing and employment sites

The project comprises a number of significant sites in a town centre location. The development of a new Midland Metro line through Dudley Town Centre which will be open to passengers in 2024 and complemented by a new transport interchange, will ensure that the town centre is well connected to the remainder of Dudley borough and the wider region. Development of these sites will help Dudley in delivering a step change in terms of economic development and regeneration.

The sites available for development will not only complement the Portersfield development which includes retail and residential developments but will be part of a package of over £500m of investment planned for the town centre in the next five years. In addition to transport improvements, a new ‘Very Light Rail’ National Innovation Centre operated by Black Country Manufacturing Innovation Organisastion and backed by Warwick Manufacturing Group opened in 2022, providing a test track and innovation centre for an exciting light rail solution. It also includes incubator space for start-ups focussing on the new technologies that Very Light Rail will bring.

Dudley Council is developing this programme with support from the West Midlands Combined Authority and partners including, Midland Metro, Transport for West Midlands, Heritage Lottery Fund, Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, Dudley Zoo and Castle, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley College of Technology and the University of Worcester.

Why invest in Dudley?

Dudley has a rich cultural and industrial heritage and is often referred to as the historic capital of the Black Country. It was once a key industrial town generating wealth from coal and limestone mining, glassmaking and iron and steel.

Since 2012 a structured series of public sector-led interventions have been successfully delivered in the town with the aim of re-imagining and regenerating the town centre. Tese include investment in the Castle Hill visitor attractions; the new Archives building; the Institute of Technology; investment into connectivity and public realm and investment to improve historic buildings within the town centre.

The rolling programme of investment has kickstarted an exciting new chapter Dudley’s history, with ‘Regenerating Dudley’ set to bring £1 billion investment into the borough. Major projects include the Wednesbury-Brierley Hill Metro Extension, the Dudley Transport Interchange, the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, and the extension of the Black Country Living Museum.