Historic steel site up for sale

The site of a former historic steel-making firm in Brierley Hill is being sold following its closure last year with the loss of nearly 40 jobs.

The owners, Corus, have said it will still be used for industry.

Agents handling the sale of the former Cookley Works in Leys Road, Brockmoor, say they have not yet fixed a price for the site.

Corus announced it was to cease production at the site in November, saying it was no longer profitable.

In its 1960s heyday, more than 1,500 people were employed there, although there had been just 39 workers there for the 15 years before its closure.

Corus spokesman Robert Dangerfield said: "The site has been earmarked to go for sale as an industrial unit but we are not in any hurry to sell off the site."

For sale signs have now been erected at the site which was used to produce coated steel products for the automotive fuel tank market.

GVA Grimley are marketing the site which comprises a 1940s industrial warehouse and 109,582 sq ft of land.

But company spokesman, Tesni Rutherford, said they had not put a price on the building.

Cookley Works has a long history in the area and has changed hands a number of times before.

Back in 1879 its owners, the Knight family, had tried to sell the loss-making business. But its fortunes changed in 1881 when Sir Frederic Winn Knight became managing partner at the age of 69.