As Wolverhampton prepares for a phase of radical growth, Stephen Catchpole, Chief Executive of the newly formed Wolverhampton Development Company, explains how he and his team will help drive forward the process.
"Without doubt, this is the start of a very exciting time for Wolverhampton. Through the delivery of commercial development opportunities Wolverhampton has the potential to become a city of regional, national and international significance.
"To help realise this potential, Wolverhampton Development Company (WDC) has been established to act as a catalyst between public and private sectors. Working at a local level to meet the ambitious targets of The Black Country Study, WDC will facilitate solutions and spearhead the speedy delivery of high quality developments.
"In any project there are a number of organisations involved and issues to resolve to ensure a successful outcome. Our role is to focus on delivering and achieving timely results by building effective partnerships with the different parties involved.
"Supporting myself and the staff is a dynamic board of directors. Deliberately drawn from across the public and private sectors to provide a broad range of experience and a comprehensive outlook, members include chairman Graham Mackenzie, the leader of the Council Roger Lawrence and Nigel Stockton, chief executive of one of the city’s largest employers, Birmingham Midshires.
"We are in a fortunate position. As well as having a strong team and board, WDC is the latest in a number of urban regeneration companies across the country – some of which have been operating for several years. As such, WDC is able to start work without delay having learnt from their experiences.
"Wolverhampton has some major developments, for example Interchange and Summer Row, already in the pipeline. Our mission is to further increase the pace, scale and quality of growth opportunities.
"To achieve the transformation of Wolverhampton into one of the most successful cities of the 21st century we need to create and nurture new markets and investment. I am confident that we can achieve this.
"People in Wolverhampton are hugely proud of their city, which is a fantastic starting point. It’s our intention to build on that sense of pride and maximise the benefits of growth for all."