Property experts at Bruton Knowles who advise Wolverhampton City Council – one of the partners in the lottery bid - are urging more businesses and individuals to register and pledge their support to the Urban Park project which they can do on the website at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) recently announced that the regeneration project ‘A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park’ is one of four prestigious schemes to battle it out for £50 million of lottery money. The winner will be decided by a public vote via an internet vote from 26th November and on The People’s £50 Million Lottery Giveaway TV show expected to be screened on ITV on 6 December. 

The regeneration project includes four key elements across the Black Country; the unveiling of forgotten caverns beneath Dudley, a 12-mile ‘green bridge’ park linking Walsall and West Bromwich town centres, widespread regeneration of Wolverhampton’s canal network and improved access to green places, all achieved with an unparalleled programme of community involvement.

Ian Mercer at property consultancy Bruton Knowles says that success in the vote will bring huge opportunities to the region. He comments:  “If successful, this level of lottery funding for the Black Country would add huge momentum and provide further opportunities for the region’s regeneration which is already making huge strides.

“But just as importantly, it demonstrates that the region is at long last being recognised for making great progress and that it deserves to be standing alongside other key schemes across the UK. The Black Country development market is moving from strength to strength; as a property professional, it is particularly exciting to note the enthusiasm with which developers and investors have come to view the region. Just during the last five years alone, we have seen a noticeable shift in the appetite of developers who are really keen to win a stake in the Black Country’s regeneration.”

Ian comments on the significance of the lottery bid in boosting confidence across the region: “We can point to key milestone projects, such as the £176 million Interchange in Wolverhampton, which are all set to deliver very meaningful physical and economic regeneration over the next decade, which will enhance the Black Country’s competitive edge and appeal. This lottery bid has boosted confidence even further across the region and we are urging more people and businesses to offer support by pledging up to the scheme and help turn this lottery hope into reality.“
 
The partners in the bid are the Consortium, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell Councils and The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country.  If successful in the vote, the £50 million of Lottery funding will support the first five to ten years of up to 30 years of Urban Park activity.

The Black Country is competing for the £50 million prize against the Eden project in Cornwall, Nottingham’s Sherwood Forest project and a UK-wide walking and cycling route scheme proposed by Sustrans.