The production site of an historic Black Country manufacturing firm has been put up for sale, it emerged today.

The main production site at the old George Carter (Pressings) Ltd in Park Road, Willenhall is on the market.

The 179-year-old firm closed more than a year ago and the five-and-a-half acre site has been left standing empty since.

Believed to be worth six figures, the land is available for commercial or residential use after demolition of offices at the Clothier Street part of the former firm. Planning permission for  homes was in place there.

Now the production site is on the market with chartered surveyors Towler Shaw Roberts. Head of the agency department Andrew Groves said: “We are open to offers for sale or to let.

“On a letting basis there are a few options, you can let parts of the site, let the whole of it or even some of the land which could be used. As far as being for sale the buildings are coming towards the end of their economic life. There is scope for redevelopment for commercial uses and potential scope for residential.

“It is early days but we anticipate, certainly for the sale of the site, a reasonable amount of interest.”

Willenhall councillor Carl Creaney said: “I would prefer to see another industry come in and keep jobs in the area rather than just housing.” Up to 79 workers were made redundant in May last year. The firm went into administration months before.

It was established in 1830 and spread across the two sites, exporting to Italy, Germany, the US and China. Products included commercial vehicle number plates.

The Park Road site expanded in 2003 for a machine shop to house milling machines and a lathe. The plan was to move to one site and in 2007 planning permission was granted to use the Clothier Street side for residential development.

In November firefighters tackled a fire in the vacant Park Road industrial unit.