DUDLEY borough is already a home to innovative and prosperous business, it’s how we build on that, says a senior industry figure.

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, says it is vital the borough shouts about all it has to offer and builds on the successes of businesses already established here.

Corin is one of the leads on the Dudley borough Vision – a set of key aims to improve the area’s health, business, transport open spaces and much more.

As the lead for the business element of the plan he will be putting together the detail of how the borough can attract new businesses and support existing ones to flourish.

The Vision, launched earlier this year, talks about creating a borough renowned as home to a host of innovative and prosperous businesses, operating in high quality locations with space to grow, sustainable energy supplies and investing in their workforce.

Corin says the borough is already well on track to do this by 2030 with the DY5 Enterprise Zone in particular and its ability to draw in new firms from across the country.

He said: “We already have to a diverse range of successful, nationally and internationally significant businesses, it’s how we build on that which will be critical to the success of the vision.

"We need to look at a range of things including a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply, a portfolio of quality industrial and commercial premises and ensuring we have attractive job and career prospects for the workforce. It is essential we all work together, with a range of partners to make this happen.”

The borough already has some exciting prospects in the pipeline including the planned leisure and retail development in Trindle Road, Dudley, the proposed Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill which will bring more people to the borough, as well as the DY5 Enterprise Zone which continues to bring new businesses to the area.

The seven themes for the vision are:

• An affordable and attractive place to live with a green network of high quality parks, waterways and nature reserves that are valued by local people and visitors

• A place where everybody has the education and skills they need, and where outstanding local schools, colleges and universities secure excellent results for their learners

• A place of healthy, resilient, safe communities with high aspirations and the ability to shape their own future

• Better connected with high quality and affordable transport, combining road, tram, rail, and new cycling and walking infrastructure

• Renowned as home to a host of innovative and prosperous businesses, operating in high quality locations with space to grow, sustainable energy supplies and investing in their workforce

• A place to visit and enjoy that drives opportunity, contributing to its ambitious future while celebrating its pioneering past

• Full of vibrant towns and neighbourhoods offering a new mix of leisure, faith cultural, residential and shopping uses

For more information visit www.dudleyboroughvision2030.org.uk