Huge £8m Masterplan to Boost Sandwell Valley Visitors Paused Over Income Targets
The ambitious plan to enhance Sandwell Valley has hit a snag due to unrealistic income expectations, prompting a review by the council
Sandwell, Black Country, UK, Visitor Centre, Water Sports, Tourism
Sandwell: So, there’s been a bit of a hiccup with the big £8 million plan to draw more visitors to Sandwell Valley Country Park. The council decided to hit pause on the project because the income targets they set were just too optimistic.
Originally, they wanted to ramp up visitor numbers to 200,000 a year and host more outdoor events. But after some serious discussions, they realized the financial goals were based on some pretty inflated assumptions.
During a budget meeting, Ben Percival from the council explained that they’re not scrapping the plan, just taking a breather to reassess everything. They want to make sure the numbers add up before moving forward.
Alan Lunt, another council director, mentioned that they’re reviewing all the targets to ensure they’re tough but doable. It seems like there’s been a lot of back and forth about whether the tourism website, Visit Sandwell, is really doing its job in driving those revenue streams.
Cllr Ashley Lewis pointed out that the income targets were a bit over the top and not really grounded in reality. The plan included splitting the park into six different zones, each offering a unique experience for visitors.
They had some exciting ideas, like a new water sports center and improvements to the café and shop. Plus, they wanted to bring back cycle hire and even upgrade the mini golf course.
Initially, the project was set to roll out in phases, with the first phase focusing on the visitor center and some other key areas. But now, with the pause, they’re taking a step back to ensure everything is on solid ground before they dive back in.