New shops and offices creating up to 200 jobs will be built as part of the first phase of a Black Country canalside development.

Building work is to begin on Monday on 158 new homes following weeks of groundworks at the Waterfront in Walsall.

As part of the £15million first phase of work, two new shops and four new offices will be built below apartments overlooking the waterside.

The work will also include developers Jessup upgrading the canal towpath and creating a boulevard and bridge linking through to Walsall Manor Hospital.

Chief executive of Cannock based developers Jessup, Clive Jessup, said: “We are in talks with tenants who are interested in moving in to the offices.”

The regional minister for the West Midlands Ian Austin MP will officially launch the work on Monday.