Chinese business chiefs pulled the plug on more than £80 million of investment at a Wolverhampton technology park because of a lack of interest from regional leaders, it was claimed today.

Industrial and Government figures from China came to see the flagship i54 development in December last year, but were said to have been put off by the attitude of Advantage West Midlands (AWM), which is designed to promote business interests of the region, and the city council.

It had been hoped that the Chinese would set up on the park, but it has now emerged that they signed a deal with a business park in Holland last month.

The Wolverhampton-based consultancy which helped arrange the trip said neither AWM or the city council wanted to pursue the Wolverhampton project.

Last week, the Express & Star revealed that work on the i54 site at Wobaston Road at Fordhouses was to stop for 18 months.

No tenants have been signed up for the £200 million hub, despite work over the past two years to prepare the site for offices to be built.

Now Mark Evans, from Featherstone-based Alexander Belle consulting, which represents the business interests China’s Shenyang district in Britain, has spoken out and described the failed China proposals as “another massive loss and wasted opportunity for Wolverhampton”.

He was one of the people who guided the Chinese delegation around the business park last December.

If the project had taken off, it would have seen Chinese industrial companies wanting to expand into Europe setting up bases in Wolverhampton.

Mr Evans said today: “We were expecting AWM to turn up on site but they weren’t interested.

“The opportunity was there and the Chinese wanted to get the co-operation going, but they’ve now signed with a park in the Netherlands.

“It’s an absolute waste. The Chinese would have waited for the park to be completed but there was a lack of interest.”