The Black Country today won through to the shortlist of a competition to win a massive £50 million National Lottery grant to boost tourism in the region.

The bid, which is called A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park, will battle it out for the money in a televised vote in December.

The project will compete for the windfall against bids from the Eden Project, in Cornwall, Sherwood Forest, in Nottingham, and plans to build a nationwide cycle route by Sustrans.

The four successful bids were chosen from a list of six in London today.

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The Black Country today won through to the shortlist of a competition to win a massive £50 million National Lottery grant to boost tourism in the region.

The bid, which is called A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park, will battle it out for the money in a televised vote in December.

The project will compete for the windfall against bids from the Eden Project, in Cornwall, Sherwood Forest, in Nottingham, and plans to build a nationwide cycle route by Sustrans.

The four successful bids were chosen from a list of six in London today. The bid was put together by the Black Country Consortium and it is hoped it will improve the quality of life for people living and working in the area as well as attracting tourists.

The Black Country’s bid includes plans to reopen Dudley’s Seven Sisters Mines and an underground canals and caverns network, revamp the Wren’s Nest Nature Reserve, create a ‘green corridor’ between West Bromwich and Walsall and a revamp of Wolverhampton’s canal network.

Great Sarah Middleton, of the Black Country Consortium, said: “We’re delighted to hear this news. Our communities and partners will be thrilled to hear we have gone through to the last stage of this exciting competition.

“Our awe inspiring limestone caverns are of world importance and, along with the transformation of our canals, green spaces and industrial heritage will make the Black Country not only a great place to live, but also a ‘must-experience’ region for visitors, both from the UK and overseas.”

Councillor David Caunt, leader of Dudley Council, said: “This is excellent news for the Black Country.

“We have now got into the last four which will involve a television programme and public voting and we are now relying on the residents of the Black Country to support the bid following the programme in December.”