has bid for £20million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund Round 2 to help deliver phase one of its ambitious Green Innovation Corridor. The aim of the Green Innovation Corridor is to build on Wolverhampton’s growth as a centre for sustainable construction and create skilled jobs for local people in the emerging green economy. Phase one of the Green Innovation Corridor is the Springfield Innovation Hub to be developed net carbon zero and based at the University of Wolverhampton’s £120million Springfield site – an architecture and built environment super-campus. It will see the development of around 90,000sqft of commercial innovation floorspace over three units for business growth and start-ups and will be built around the epicentre of the National Centre for Sustainable Construction, with the creation of over 300 jobs. The long-term vision is to connect key city assets at the Springfield Campus with Wolverhampton Science Park and link the city centre with the advanced manufacturing cluster in the north of Wolverhampton. Green Innovation Corridor future redevelopment phases include ‘Six Mile Green’ at Wolverhampton Science Park and Cross Street North, which will offer the potential to regenerate over 6.4hectares of brownfield land, create 250,000sqft of commercial space and more than 1,000 jobs. Six Mile Green – named after the 1862 world record for the highest vertical ascent in a hot air balloon launched from the site – will see the construction of units for new business start-ups and innovation, while the Cross Street North site will see new housing and commercial development and public spaces. West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, added:
“We at the West Midlands Combined Authority have worked closely with the University of Wolverhampton to help deliver £120million of investment in the world-class facility at the National Centre for Sustainable Construction, Europe’s largest specialist construction and built environment hub at Springfield Campus.
“This Green Innovation Corridor is the next step in the process of capturing the growth opportunities that new businesses in green technology and innovation give us; with new research space for scientists, office space for new enterprises, and, of course, new jobs in Wolverhampton.
“The green tech revolution is a huge growth opportunity for our region and this bid will put Wolverhampton at the heart of it.”
A decision on Levelling Up Round 2 funding allocations is expected to be announced this October. Pictured: Computer generated image shows the phase one Springfield Innovation Hub over three units
