Cash axe shock for expansion projects

A £7.1 million extension to Wolverhampton Science Park and a 1930s High Street at the Black Country Museum are among 65 schemes refused funding by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, it was revealed today.

It has taken two weeks for the agency to reveal the list of schemes turned down for vital support in the wake of a £132 million cut in funding at the development agency. The Government, under pressure to cut spending in the recession, has sliced £48 million from the annual budget.

The agency also expects a £20 million fall in revenue, such as land rent from tenants, because of the slump.

It has also moved around £64 million from the money spent on regeneration schemes to new projects intended to help struggling businesses in the region.

As a result, it decided to withdraw funding support to 122 of its 906 regeneration schemes.

Of these, 48 are pursuing alternative sources of funding with help of AWM and nine were application for business grants that have been rejected.

It leaves 65 projects at risk of collapse following the loss of agency support.

Wolverhampton Science Park had been drawing up plans for a £7.1 million Phase Four building for the past five years. It would have provided an "incubator" for new businesses and created up to 300 jobs, said science park executive director Martin Bucknell.

"We are very disappointed to have lost funding support. It was a shock," he said.

The science park's board, which includes senior Wolverhampton council and university figures, will meet tonight to decide on their next move.

In Dudley, the creation of Old Birmingham Road at the Black Country Living Museum was to be the focal point of a multi-million-pound expansion, featuring 1930s shops including a butcher, ladies outfitter and wireless retailer.

Advantage West Midlands' corporate director of operations, Karen Yeomans, said today that the two projects had missed out because of "hard choices" over where to spend the agency's money.

Projects refused AWM funding include:

Black Country Living Museum, 1930s High Street

Business Intelligence using Statistical Cybermetrics Using IT (BISCUIT)

Food and Drink Technology Forum

i-Central (three projects) – proposed joint Wolverhampton University and City of Wolverhampton College design and technology campus.

Science Research Exchange

Town and Country Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Sensor Technology Demonstrator, Wolverhampton University IT Futures Centre.

Wolverhampton Science Park Phase Four

Friarsgage, Lichfield

The FA National Football Centre, Burton upon Trent

Advantage Creative Fund – Extension

Telford Lakeside (two projects)

Telford Technology Park

Transforming Telford (three projects)

Flax Mill, Shrewsbury

Ludlow Market Square

North Shropshire Employment Land

Shropshire Portal, Shrewsbury

St Clements Gate Conference/CPD Centre, Worcester

Tenbury Bio Park

Tenbury Flood Defence

TL Worcester Cathedral – Enhancing The Experience

Projects to receive AWM funding include:

Wolverhampton Interchange.

Wolverhampton: Continuing infrastructure work on £65 million i54 project.

Bilston Urban Village.

Walsall Waterfront.

Walsall Gigaport.

Dudley: Regeneration of the town centre, Tower Street and Priory Street areas alongside the Castle Hill and Dudley Zoo redevelopment.

West Bromwich: Redevelopment and regeneration of the town centre.

West Bromwich: A new 270,000 sq ft office park, on the northern edge of the town centre.

West Bromwich: The new £80 million Sandwell College.

Birmingham International Airport: The extension of the main runway by 400 metres.

Longbridge: Development of a 60 acre regional investment site and a new local centre for Longbridge.

New Street Station: £400 million Birmingham Gateway.

Eastside: Urban regeneration project in Birmingham.

Telford: Regeneration project for the town centre to include the creation of 3,000 new homes.

Telford: The Donnington Rail Freight Terminal

Ironbridge: The Blists Hill Victorian Town development