Accord Group to sign housing factory deal
West Bromwich housing association The Accord Group is to exchange contracts with Walsall Council to transform a derelict factory in the borough into a manufacturing and assembly hub.
Dr Chris Handy, chief executive of Accord Group, and councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall cabinet member for regeneration, will meet to sign the papers at the Council Chambers in Walsall on Wednesday (2 February).
Once complete, the new factory is expected to create 30 jobs in the reigon.
Planning permission to renovate the five acre site, off Stephenson Avenue in Beechdale, was given the go-ahead by Walsall Council earlier this month.
The site will now be converted into an assembly hub which will manufacture environmentally friendly timber houses. Until now, The Accord group had imported the houses from Norway.
Once renovated, the factory is expected to manufacture enough panels to build around 150 new homes each year.
Chris Handy, chief executive of Accord Group, said: “For a number of years now we have been building timber homes using panels imported from Norway.
“It is fantastic that we are now working with the council to replicate this model in Walsall, in order to construct timber panels ourselves and produce low carbon housing for local people that is cheap to run.
“Importantly the factory will also contribute significantly to supporting the local economy, creating jobs for local people and reverse the decline in manufacturing in the region.”
