Almost 200 jobs will be created at Dudley Zoo, the Black Country Museum and Dudley Canal Trust under a planned investment worth £46.5 million announced today.

The tourist attractions are jointly bidding for cash as part of a Transforming Dudley vision, which will see them revitalised to boost visitor numbers.

The project has asked for £2m from the government with the rest of its proposed £46.5m investment coming from private sources and Europe. It is one of four cash bids in the Black Country.

The Black Country Reinvestment Society is asking for £8m to help create 880 jobs and safeguard 4,968 more by providing loans to businesses, the West Bromwich Building Society wants £5m to move to a new HQ while the former James Bridge copperworks also wants a £5m grant to redevelop in Darlaston.

The Transforming Dudley project will see Dudley Zoo, Dudley Canal Trust and the Black Country Living Museum create joint visitor and arrival facilities and revitalise their attractions.

The Black Country Consortium, which works on behalf of the councils estimates that 20 jobs will be safeguarded at the three organisations and 193 will be created.

A further 90 jobs will be created in the surrounding areas. The bids for funding from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund are being supported by the new Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.

The LEP is meant to replace the £300m a year quango Advantage West Midlands which is being scrapped in 2012.

Sarah Middleton, chief executive of the Black Country Consortium, added: “If these projects are approved for funding they will have a real positive impact on our community.”