Six Regeneration Zones

There are six regeneration zones and Birmingham is covered by two of these. A result of the West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy of 1999, will have a life span of between 10 and 15 years. A total of nearly £40 million has been allocated for development in these key areas. The strategy behind these zones is to create assistance for local companies who wish to expand and to assist local residents in obtaining employment with the new growth that the funding is expected to create. The type of businesses affected range from the new economy as well as the existing industrial base and traditional economies.

The purpose of the regeneration zones is therefore to increase and safeguard local jobs. Recycle dilapidated properties and brownfield sites, improve business performance and opportunities within the zones, assist and represent under represented communities and promote the right skills and training with a program of learning opportunities. This is about empowering the local community and supporting and encouraging businesses and local residents in regenerating their community. This extends to cosmetic improvements and grants from local government to change the environment and make the regional zones better places to live and work.

This new approach involves the targeting of regeneration resources on the areas of greatest need in the region by Advantage West Midlands and all the other key funders of regeneration activity. The boundries for the six regeneration zones has already been agreed. Covering one third of the regions population, the zones cover large areas of the unemployed community. Each area has been chosen to represent areas of greatest need. The most deprived areas are all within the six regional zones.

The Six Zones

Source: Advantage West Midlands

Marches
Population 1991: 283,000
The most remote rural parts of the region, covering parts of Herefordshire , Shropshire and Worcestershire. Covers most of the rural parts of the Objective 2 areas. It adjoins mid-Wales, much of which is an Objective One area and with which there are some important links.

East Birmingham & North Solihull
Population 1991: 424,000
Most of east Birmingham and small parts of Solihull, extends eastwards from City Centre.

North Black Country & South Staffordshire
Population 1991: 292,000
Cover part of Wolverhampton and Walsall and a small part of South Staffordshire. Contains several key regional inward investment sites.

North Staffordshire
Population 1991: 255,000
Covers the potteries areas, parts of Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Coventry & Nuneaton
Population 1991: 255,000
Parts of Coventry, Nuneaton and Bedworth.

West Birmingham & South Black Country
Population 1991: 441,000
West of the city centre into parts of Dudley and Sandwell.

To find out more about the Regeneration Zones take a look at the Advantage West Midlands website:

www.advantagewm.co.uk/work/zones/