Wolverhampton development company chairman appointed
Released: 29 June 2007
Wolverhampton City Council with its partners, including Advantage West Midlands and English Partnerships, are pleased to announce the appointment of Graham Mackenzie OBE as chairman of the proposed new Wolverhampton Development Company.
The Wolverhampton Development Company (WDC) is being set up by Wolverhampton City Council, Advantage West Midlands and national regeneration agency English Partnerships as an Urban Regeneration Company in order to speed up the regeneration of the city.
The WDC will build on the exciting developments already planned for the city, such as the Summer Row retail scheme and the Transport Interchange at the railway station.
Wolverhampton City Council Leader, Councillor Roger Lawrence, welcomed Graham’s appointment, saying: “We are delighted that Graham has agreed to become chairman of the new Wolverhampton Development Company.
“Our ambitions for Wolverhampton are to be a premier city recognised on both the national and international stage will take a significant step forward with the establishment of the WDC.
“As chairman of the new company Graham will encourage private sector partners to invest in Wolverhampton, thereby increasing the pace and scale of change, whilst ensuring that local people have access to the job opportunities that regeneration brings to the city”, he added.
Mick Laverty, Deputy Chief Executive at Advantage West Midlands, said: “The proposed WDC should accelerate the delivery of a multi-million pound package of exciting regeneration projects.
“It will help link up activity at key developments in an area from the city centre and Wolverhampton Science Park through to the i54 major employment site at Wobaston Road which is expected to create around 6,000 jobs in years to come.”
Paul Spooner, English Partnerships’ Regional Director for the North West and West Midlands said: “ We are looking forward to working with Graham and our partners in delivering the very exciting regeneration agenda for Wolverhampton”.
Graham brings a wealth of experience to the role through a distinguished career in the private sector and experience of both central and local government gained through non-executive positions.
Originally from the West Midlands, Graham has worked in the steel industry for the majority of his career and is currently the Director and Corporate Advisor for Celsa (UK) Holdings ltd. prior to which he was the Chief Executive of ASW Holdings plc. Both steel making companies are based in South Wales. He also spent two years seconded to the Cabinet Office to provide policy advice on industrial and economic matters to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Throughout his career, Graham has been active in public life. At a national level, he has been a member of a number of Department for Education committees, including the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, of which he was the chair in 1997.
Locally, Graham has been a member of the West Midlands Industrial Development Board, as well as Chairman of Sandwell Enterprise Ltd. and Black Country Careers Service Ltd.
It is intended that the new Wolverhampton Development Company will be formally incorporated later this summer. The company’s initial focus will be on the city centre and immediate surrounding areas.
Additional information
Urban Regeneration Companies (URC’s)
Uniting public and private sector partners, URC’s are independent companies established by the relevant local authority and Regional Development Agency, working alongside English Partnerships and other local stakeholders including employers, amenity groups and community representatives.
Their principal aim is to engage the private sector in a sustainable regeneration strategy, working within the context of a wider Strategic Regeneration Framework, or master plan, which takes full account of the challenges and opportunities for a whole area.
Further information about URC’s can be obtained from the Urban Regeneration Companies website.
English Partnerships
English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. It does this by developing its portfolio of strategic projects and acting as the government’s advisor on brownfield land. It also ensures that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider government objectives, especially those contained in the Sustainable Communities Plan.
English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live. Information on projects and programmes can be found at the English Partnerships website.
English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation are working with the Department for Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed new national housing and regeneration agency, Communities England.
Issued by the press office.