Hundreds of jobs created at The Waterfront since business zone boost

A total of 26 businesses have set up at the DY5 enterprise zone in Brierley Hill since 2017.

The enterprise zone was launched in a bid to rejuvenate the Waterfront office complex at Merry Hill and create additional office, technology and industrial space in the surrounding areas of Brierley Hill, Harts Hill and Pensnett.

DY5 offers tax breaks to businesses which set up there, as part of a drive to create a business district and bring companies together in one area.

Some 610 new jobs have been created, with five hectares of land developed and nearly 6,000 sq m of existing floor space refurbished.

All of the businesses have either expanded, relocated or are new and include retail, industrial and offices.

Dudley Council leader Qadar Zada said: "This is what DY5 is all about, encouraging growth within our economy, developing confidence in doing business here and creating hundreds and eventually thousands of new jobs.

"In the two years since it launched, the zone has delivered real change and positioned itself as the place to do business. Twenty six companies have already seen the value in joining us and I am confident this is only the start.”

Leaders say they want DY5 to "become the high-tech office hub of the Black Country’s industry" and hope the extension of the Metro line to Brierley Hill from Wolverhampton and Birmingham will help it grow further.

DY5 can offer businesses up to £55,000 business rate relief every year, for five years as well as superfast broadband, a central location with good transport links.

Within 25 years it aims to deliver thousands of new jobs, see the creation of 300 new businesses, the reoccupation of 18,000 sq m of vacant office space and the creation of up to 110,000sqm of new office space, 36,000 sq m of new technology space and 65,000 sq m of new industrial space.