community
SITE PREPARATION WORKS NEARING COMPLETION
It’s been great to see the sunshine return as we progress with preparing the former James Bridge Copper Works and IMI site for construction of our exciting 21st century logistics and manufacturing hub, SPARK Walsall.
SPARK will be a regeneration catalyst for the Midlands, and is set to create 1,000 jobs across the new high-quality units, which will range from 20,000 to over 300,000sqft.
As you can see in the image above, the site has really come on over recent months, with the ground being levelled out ready for foundation works.
Our lead contractor, John F Hunt Regeneration, are also completing drainage works whilst starting to build the spine road within the site.
Read on for more about our progress and what we’ve been up to as part of our commitment to the local community.
Construction is due to begin later this year and we’ve released a new CGI of how the development is set to look once complete.
Junction improvement works to begin
As part of the development, we are now preparing to carry out the approved Darlaston Road and Reservoir Place junction improvement works, which include a signalcontrolled T-Junction with a new rightturn lane for access to Reservoir Place.
There will also be improved pedestrian crossing facilities and we look forward to providing this added safety for the local community.
The works will formally commence from mid-August with our contractors, O’Brien Contractors Limited, and will then take place throughout the remainder of the year, with completion scheduled for early 2025.
Hours of work will be between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday, and 8am and 1pm on Saturdays.
STAYING SAFE IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS
With the school summer holidays now under way, it is vital to remind children of the dangers posed by active construction sites.
Our contractors are members of the Considerate Constructors Scheme and we have a number of safety measures in place at SPARK Walsall, including 24-hour security.
However, the best prevention is always educating children about the risks posed by building sites.
SPRINGING INTO ACTION ACROSS THE COMMUNITY
In March, we supported Future Choices Day at Grace Academy Darlaston, helping students learn about the opportunities available as they transition from Year 11 into further education courses, training, and apprenticeships, and how these opportunities lead to higher education and the world of work.
We also continued our involvement with Joseph Leckie Academy, with the latest session being part of the Raising Aspirations Programme.
The session focussed on employability, including CVs, interviews and employment pathways, and also included the introduction of the Bright Sparks project – a collaboration with students which saw us all join forces for a litter picking volunteering day.
Our contractor, John F Hunt Regeneration, have also been progressing with their fantastic social value initiatives.
They recently took time out of their schedule to welcome three groups of students from Walsall Construction College to site, as well as attending Walsall Works Jobs and Skills Expo at Walsall College, the largest recruitment exhibition in the Black Country which regularly attracts more than 1,000 people.
In addition to our collective educational outreach and site visits, we also welcomed members of the Lighthouse Club, the Construction Industry Charity, to site for a tour.
A word from…
SIMON RAIYE
Director at HBD
We’re delighted with how well our site preparation works have progressed at SPARK Walsall – and very excited about construction starting in the coming months.
SPARK is set to create up to 1,000 new jobs and will be a huge catalyst for further growth across Walsall and beyond.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everybody in the community for their patience during the works to date.
We’re also really enjoying our engagement with schools, clubs and associations in the local area, and look forward to continuing these activities throughout the summer.
Browse our seasonal newsletter archive here
TALK TO US
If you ever have any requests, questions or concerns during the works, you can contact our community affairs team on 08000 356 480 or email hello@sparkwalsall.co.uk
