People will soon be able to find out how they can tap into thousands of new employment opportunities at a major regional logistics development which is now under way in Staffordshire.
Work has begun on the £1 billion West Midlands Interchange (WMI) project in South Staffordshire, which could create up to 8,500 jobs. The site is on land west of junction 12 of the M6 at Four Ashes.
Earlier this month, Daily Focus reported that a construction contractor – Winvic – had been appointed and during the construction phase, employment, apprenticeship and trainee positions will be created.
A partnership of South Staffordshire Council, Staffordshire County Council and the City of Wolverhampton is already working with WMI to maximise the site’s future potential for residents.
And the recently created Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service will support WMI in its search for candidates to fill new roles, while Wolves at Work will do the same in the city of Wolverhampton.
Both will also help those looking for employment, apprenticeships or training to match them with appropriate positions at WMI.
People can find out more at: www.staffsjobscareers.com or www.wolvesatwork.com
The site is being financed and delivered by Oxford Properties and European developer Logistics Capital Partners.
When it is operational, the 734-acre site will have a freight terminal with direct connections to the West Coast mainline. It will be capable of accommodating up to 10 trains per day as well as container storage and HGVs.
Up to eight million square feet of commercial space will be built on the site and 109 acres has also been assigned for two community parks.
Phase one work includes the construction of warehouses, developing one of the community parks with walkways, cycle paths and building part of a new road.
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said: “The West Midlands Interchange is a huge development that will generate numerous and varied opportunities for our residents in years to come.
“We know there has been apprehension locally, but we must now focus on the benefits of the development in terms of employment and training, whilst mitigating environmental and traffic impact and ensuring that commitments to environmental and community enhancements are realised.”
Deputy leader for South Staffordshire Council, and cabinet member for business and enterprise, Victoria Wilson, said: “We are committed to working collectively to ensure that the benefits of this scheme are felt locally by the residents and communities of South Staffordshire and we urge job seekers to look at the roles that are available and engage with the opportunities that the scheme offers.”
Plans for the Interchange were first revealed seven years ago and the project received the green light from the Secretary of State for Transport in 2020. It is anticipated that the development will take a decade to complete.
