A major scheme to finally transform a Wednesbury site left derelict for four decades into a 600-home development has moved a step closer.

Sandwell Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have appointed Keepmoat as their preferred developer to construct the Friar Park Urban Village scheme.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said the site was ‘no easy’ to bring forward but was pleased with progress being made.

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The land, approximately the size of 32 football pitches, is joint owned by the council and WMCA and has previously housed a waste treatment plant, foundry and hospital.

But it has lain empty for more than 40 years due to the complexity in cleaning up the land and making

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