In October, the West Midlands Interchange project team met with members of the local community on site for the quarterly Community Liaison Group (CLG). Providing project updates and a look ahead of upcoming work to keep local community informed.

Our updates included the latest news regarding the first occupier, construction, planning, social value and community parks.

First occupier

It was announced back in July that Carlsberg Britvic would become the first occupier at the 5030 series on the development.

David Bodily, Property and Facilities Director at Carlsberg Britvic, was in attendance at the CLG. Carlsberg Britvic intends to work closely with national and local supply chains, with a strong focus on supporting local businesses and creating local jobs.

Construction on the Carlsberg Britvic site started in August, with an expected completion date of Spring 2026.

Construction

A temporary route has been constructed adjacent to a section of Vicarage Road, between Straight Mile and Stable Lane. This will facilitate the construction of a new roundabout as part of the development. The temporary route will be in operation from 22 October 2025 until Summer 2026.

The project team is working with National Highways to programme a suitable date for enabling works regarding the construction of the A5 Watling Street roundabout. Work is likely to begin in early 2026 and will last around a year, and plans will be communicated shortly.

To keep updated with the latest traffic management across the site, please visit the events tab and interactive map on the Community Hub section of the website.

Planning

Planning permission for the rail terminal has been granted. Earthworks in other areas of the site are progressing well.

Much of the required highway’s work is consented and underway, with some design refinements being progressed.

An HV (high voltage) substation application has been submitted for land between Straight Mile and Vicarage Road, near the Carlsberg Britvic site. A number of other smaller applications have also been progressed.

Social value

The project continues to deliver local school engagement and early careers development. Several students who first joined the project for work experience or T-Level industry placements have now progressed into apprenticeships with Winvic. Recent activities have included mock interviews, industry talks, teacher encounter sessions, and support for local schools such as Codsall Community High School. The team have delivered environmental sessions focused on habitats and biodiversity, with further activities planned for primary schools.

Newly launched career-focused videos will support school engagement, helping to inspire young people and promote opportunities within the construction industry as the project progresses through construction.

Community Parks

Community park designs were finalised and submitted to Staffordshire County Council earlier this year. Following feedback from a meeting with Croft Lane residents in June, the design for the Croft Lane community park was updated to enhance boundary treatments.

Keeping informed

If you have any questions about the latest project updates, please contact us at contactus@communityrelations.co.uk or by calling  0800 377 7345.

To keep up to date with the latest project news, you can subscribe to the project newsletter and traffic management updates at the bottom of any page on the website.