Origin has started on site with the second phase (£25m GDV) of its £126million SPARK scheme in Walsall, delivering an additional 101,000sq ft across three units.
SPARK is one of the most significant projects undertaken within the Black Country in recent years, transforming a 44-acre brownfield site into a thriving employment scheme. It will attract vital inward investment and is expected to create as many as 1,100 new jobs.
The first phase is now complete, with two units of 18,000sq ft and 250,000sq ft ready to occupy. Bowmer + Kirkland has begun work on the second phase of the development, which will deliver a further three units and draw the ambitious regeneration project to a close.
Once complete, SPARK will provide 370,000sq ft of modern, net zero-capable manufacturing and logistics space. All BREEAM Excellent and with an EPC A rating, all five buildings are designed for a net zero future and to support occupiers in meeting their ESG objectives.
Work on the new units is expected to complete in Autumn 2026.
Vivienne Clements, Executive Director at HBD, said: “SPARK is a great example of public private partnership done well, working together to regenerate a complex site and create a high-quality scheme that will drive new investment and support long-term job creation. It’s fantastic to now be on site with the second phase.”
Jamie Acheson, Managing Director of Feldberg Capital, said: “SPARK reflects Origin’s focus on well-located, ESG-led industrial development in strong regional markets. Its scale, location adjacent to Junction 9 of the M6, and strong sustainability credentials make it an exceptionally attractive proposition for occupiers.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which made a multi-million pound investment to support the site’s remediation and development, said: “SPARK is already breathing new life into a site that had stood derelict for decades, bringing fresh economic growth and hundreds of new jobs for people across the Black Country. It shows how we are building for the future, offering the high-quality workspaces that will attract even more businesses, jobs and investment to our region in the years ahead. By investing in this way, we can unlock new opportunities for people and in every part of the region, so that all our communities can benefit from a growing economy.”
Origin is a joint venture between HBD and Feldberg Capital. It was launched to own and develop next-generation, ESG-compliant industrial and logistics assets in the UK’s mid-box market and aims to deliver £1billion of high-quality I&L schemes over the next five to seven years.
The agents for SPARK are Cushman and Wakefield and Box4 Real Estate.