Claim Dudley ice rink project could 'go cold' are rejected by council leader

At a cabinet meeting he said the new attraction would be a ‘game changer’ for redevelopment in Dudley and he was confident the scheme would become a reality.

Councillor Harley was responding to comments by the opposition Labour group's finance spokesperson Councillor Shaukat Ali who said other projects had failed to materialise.

Councillor Harley said: “The land won’t be handed over until the ice rink is built, that is our guarantee it will happen – it will be built.

“We came up with a proposal which has morphed into the ice rink – it has been painstakingly slow. The figures show it will be an asset to our town.

“The developers want to deliver a quality venue, this is that game changer that Dudley has been crying out for.

“They are putting their own funding into this, that shows the confidence the developer and ice rink operator has.”

Councillor Ali said: “I welcome this report in terms of the ice rink, if it were to happen it will truly breathe new life into the town. However I would have appreciated a bit more detail, some big projects in Dudley have not materialised for far.”

He said failed plans include the Cavendish House site re-development. The building was demolished in four years ago after years of delays, but a proposed housing and retail redevelopment there is yet to get under way.

Councillor Ali added: “We have all seen the twists and turns that has taken.”

Councillor Cathryn Bayton told Monday's meeting: “I am incredibly concerned that for a proposal for an ice rink the size of this one that we don’t have that in the report.

“Ice rinks are very resource heavy in terms of electricity and whilst we may get the detail at the business case stage. I am concerned we are removing that requirement from the developer.”

Deputy leader Councillor Paul Bradley agreed and said he would see if the assessment could be reinstated.

Councillor Parmjit Sahota said: “Are we putting all our eggs in one basket? We don’t want the ice rink to go cold and we are left with nothing else.”

Councillor Harley replied that ice rinks were supposed to be cold and added: “It won’t go cold, we have progressed so far now with the ice rink operator I believe this is going to happen.

“We are making a commitment with a piece of land that is our contribution. I believe we have commitment from Planet Ice.

“They could have taken this to Birmingham or Wolverhampton, they could have put it anywhere in the West Midlands or the Black Country, but they chose Dudley.”