In late 2019, Sandwell was invited, along with 101 other towns, to participate in the £3.6bn Towns Fund programme introduced by the Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government as part of the Government's levelling up agenda. Towns were invited to submit proposals up to £25m for projects that would target a number of socioeconomic drivers including regeneration, skills and employment. Sandwell’s inclusion was distinct in that the three towns chosen to feature in the programme made Sandwell second only to Cornwall in the number of towns selected. This is reflective of the challenging socioeconomic picture in Sandwell but represents a huge opportunity to drive regeneration and improve the outcomes for residents in our borough.
As part of the wider Towns Fund initiative, each town was eligible to apply for up to £750,000 to deliver accelerated, shovel ready projects that would set the stage for the wider investment to come. In West Bromwich, it was decided that the majority of the accelerated funding package should be allocated to the redevelopment of the Council’s poor-quality outdoor market.
As part of a wider Urban Greening Regeneration project in West Bromwich Town Centre, Sandwell Council has delivered an innovate, bespoke new market offer. This includes 36 new stalls, that addresses the concerns raised by local stakeholders and will, instead of detracting from the quality of place, be a net contributor to the town centre. Additionally, the space is a practical place for outdoor traders to use.
The market stalls feature a unique, transparent solar PV glass roof that generates renewable electricity from sunlight, ensuring regeneration of the outdoor market in West Bromwich contributes to wider climate action in Sandwell.
The project was managed by the Council's Regeneration and Markets teams respectively. The project was successfully delivered to a challenging timeline in the middle of a global pandemic. All stages required proactive project management and carefully considered creative solutions to be able to proceed through the necessary governance and procurement processes at pace.
“Polysolar worked on this project with Sandwell Council during the last lock down, designing and delivering the project from start to finish in 3 months. The council was both extremely creative and flexible enabling the project to proceed in difficult circumstances and at rapid speed”.
Polysolar
“Early virtual MS Teams meetings were invaluable in planning. This involved Sandwell MBC, Fitzgerald and PolySolar. The virtual meetings identified risks and opportunities, such as scheme requirements, more efficient installation methodology, interface, early works. Ongoing regular site meetings drove the scheme and identified any issues and concerns early, allowing for a timely mitigation action”.
Fitzgerald Construction Ltd