Jobs hope for Longbridge site

Hundreds of new jobs could be created at Longbridge, the former MG Rover plant in Birmingham, as redevelopment work on the massive site gathers pace.

Developer St Modwen has started work on nearly 75,000 sq ft of manufacturing and distribution buildings in the £5.5 million first phase of the new Cofton Centre, Longbridge. Planning permission has already been given for a total of 285,000 sq ft of industrial development on the former car storage site off Groveley Lane, part of the 340-acre plant.

The site is being redeveloped by West Midlands-based St Modwen.

The first two speculatively-built units of 47,502 sq ft and 27,072 sq ft should be completed by next spring, creating up to 300 jobs.

Mike Murray, of St Modwen, said: "We are receiving strong interest in the scheme and are talking to a number of occupiers who see Longbridge as being ideal for their business. When the whole of the Cofton Centre is completed we anticipate it will provide more than 1,200 jobs."

PRG Europe, the UK's leading supplier of lighting and projection solutions to the entertainment and events industries, is currently fitting out the 157,000 sq ft former MG Rover parts distribution warehouse next to the proposed development site, which it bought from St Modwen last year.

David Willmer, of GVA Grimley, letting agent for the scheme, said: "There has been very little speculative high quality industrial development on the south west side of Birmingham for a number of years compared with the east side of the city, so the Cofton Centre should attract a great deal of interest from regional companies looking to upgrade into good accommodation."