We were commissioned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council as partners on a project led by Jon Sheaff Associates to develop a masterplan and governance and business model for Sandwell Valley Country Park. 

The Council wished to develop the park as a ‘gateway’ for visitors to the Black Country, improve amenities and facilities for local residents and increase the level of income generated by park facilities to enable it to become self-financing. 

Working alongside Jon Sheaff Associates and the Council we engaged with staff and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for development that would meet the Council's objectives, including relocating some existing facilities, the repurposing of some existing buildings to create new facilities that would contribute to the Council’s community wealth building agenda, including the development of a horticulture social enterprise.

Alongside this work we were separately commissioned with Jon Sheaff Associates and Velosolutions by Sport England to develop a feasibility study for an urban bike park on the site. Our role in this work was to develop a business plan for the site based on secondary spend in a planned cafe, bike shop and bike facilities. The feasibility study formed the basis of a successful bid by the Council to Sport England for funding to develop and establish the facility.