UKREiiF showcase for i54 business park opportunity

i54 South Staffordshire will be in the spotlight at the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) next week.

The major Midlands business park, located in South Staffordshire on the county border with Wolverhampton, has recently seen the completion of a 60-acre western extension.

A new occupier is already lined up for part of the extension but an opportunity for an end user to secure the remaining 25 acres for advanced manufacturing, technology, training and innovation will be showcased by Invest Wolverhampton, Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council at UKREiiF (May 16-18).

The site offers fully serviced development platforms capable of accommodating up to 46,000sqm / 500,000sqft of B1 and B2 floorspace.

UKREiiF will bring together local authorities alongside government and hundreds of investors, funders, developers and housebuilders​ over the three days at Royal Armouries Leeds & Leeds Dock in Leeds.

i54 was delivered by a partnership of City of Wolverhampton Council, Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council. The western extension was completed last year and will support the creation of more than 1,000 jobs when fully occupied.

The works included the construction of a 1km road linking the main i54 site to the new extension, new footpaths and cycleways, diverting and improving the public bridleway, drainage works, the planting of 10,000 trees and the development of a further access road to serve future occupiers.

The i54 management team is marketing the final plot on the western extension. Businesses and developers can find out more at www.i54online.com  

City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Stephen Simkins, said: “Wolverhampton is the city of opportunity, and this is a first-class opportunity for end users to join other high-quality occupiers at i54 to galvanise its reputation as a regional, national and international strategic site and centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing.

“We continue to welcome new occupiers to i54 and the power of this cannot be underestimated in terms of the boost to our economy and the hundreds of good-quality jobs it will deliver for local people.

“i54 is also just one of the many investment opportunities we are promoting through the Wolverhampton Investment Prospectus and the i54 partnership with Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council is a prime example of how effective our collaborative approach to delivering on skills, jobs and growth is.”

Staffordshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, Philip White, said: “i54 South Staffordshire has been a huge success for the county council and our partners. The recent western extension offers more opportunities for business development and skilled job creation.

“We’re looking forward to announcing the latest businesses joining us on i54 very soon, and our presence at UKREiiF enables us to share its extremely strong offer – including its connectivity and own motorway junction – to a national and international audience.

“Our long-term economic growth strategy sets out how we plan to develop our key transport corridors, deliver major infrastructure projects and attract investors. Through i54 South Staffordshire we have demonstrated how we and our partners can deliver major projects and attract leading global companies to our area.”

South Staffordshire Council Leader, Roger Lees, said: “i54 South Staffordshire and its extension has already resulted in great success to the local area, delivering significant public and private investment and high numbers of quality advanced manufacturing jobs. It’s really put South Staffordshire on the map.  

“We are proud to work with our close partners Staffordshire County Council and City of Wolverhampton Council in developing and promoting i54 and other key local investment opportunities to further increase skilled jobs and prosperity for our businesses and communities. 

“We’re also keen to welcome further major investors and global brands to an area that already benefits from access to a large skilled workforce and is ideally located for businesses to locate to and employees to live in. 

“Our attendance at UKREiiF to promote i54 South Staffordshire and other local strategic investment opportunities aims to demonstrate that we are well and truly open for business.”