A MULTI-million pound business and innovation enterprise zone which is hoped to bring thousands of jobs to Brierley Hill has been given the green light.

Dudley Council bosses welcomed the Government’s communities secretary Sajid Javid to the Waterfront where he gave the project the go-ahead.

The zone, which has been named ‘DY5 - Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone’ aims to become the high tech office hub of the Black Countries industry connecting advanced manufacturing to industrial sites via the new Metro link to Birmingham.

During his visit to the enterprise zone, the MP for Bromsgrove said: “We are determined to deliver high-tech and skilled jobs across the country, helping to create an economy that works for everyone.

“So I’m delighted to launch this new enterprise zone in Brierley Hill, which will help secure as many as 7,000 jobs for people right at the heart of the Midlands engine.

“I’ve seen for myself the real potential this site has – and with cutting edge office facilities it will help attract the brightest and best of industry.”

Dudley Council will run the new Brierley Hill enterprise zone in partnership with the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and West Midlands Combined Authority.

The authority hopes the zone will help rejuvenate the Waterfront office complex, as well as create additional office, technology and industrial space in the surrounding areas of Brierley Hill, Harts Hill and Pensnett, while it is expected to deliver up to 7,000 new jobs.

The zone has been given the green light due to the significant amount of vacant office space at the Waterfront, which currently has 18,000 m2 of office space available for rent.

Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of Dudley Council, Black Country LEP board member and vice-chair of West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “Our new enterprise zone will put Brierley Hill, the borough and the wider region on the national and international map as a place to come and do business and thrive.

“The zone will demonstrate our ingenuity and ability to breathe new life into businesses and support our ethos – ‘made in the Black Country, sold around the world’.”

As well as reoccupying the vacant space at the Waterfront, when fully built the zone will include up to 110,000 m2 of new office space, 36,000 m2 of new technology space and 65,000 m2 of new industrial space.

Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “We knew when we submitted our bid in July 2016 that we had a strong case to offer real potential and make a big difference in Brierley Hill, an area which has strategic significance for the borough and beyond.

“We know the area is already set to have a significant boost when the Metro extension rolls in, but now we have the green light for DY5, it will significantly strengthen our economy, increase the number of jobs in the area and boost our reputation as a place to do business.”

Councillor Paul Brothwood, leader of the borough's UKIP group added: "This will act as a real catalyst for the area. This along with the planned metro will help to provide jobs and growth which is most needed.

"It's great to have some positive news."