TWO Black Country-based brothers hope to boost business and jobs in Lye by investing more than £1million in transforming an historic industrial site.

Phil and Mark Stewardson of Cradley Heath based property developers Stewardson Developments have completed the purchase of the Imperial Works industrial estate in Bromley Street and now plan to invest more than £200,000 in renovating the 2.1-acre estate.

The site, which was the former Sargeant Turner & Sons Ltd plant where buckets and dustbins were manufactured, had previously been owned by the same family for more than 100 years.

Mark Stewardson, director of Stewardson Developments, said: “We are delighted to acquire this prominent site and cannot wait to get to work on refurbishing and redeveloping the site.

“We are committed to expanding the retail and industrial element of our portfolio and are currently in discussions with several local business owners looking to retire and who wish to dispose of their premises, as well as others who want to cut costs by selling and leasing back their premises.”

Planned improvements for the site include improved security, increased parking provision for staff and visitors and measures to make the estate more energy efficient, as well as the general improvement of all 17 multi-use units.

Stewardson Developments will be working alongside Stourbridge based Hexagon Commercial Property, who will manage the estate.

Harvey Pearson, director of Hexagon Commercial Property, said: “We were delighted to discreetly dispose of Imperial Works to Stewardson Developments, which further demonstrates their commitment to investing in the Black Country.

“Hexagon are very excited at the prospect of managing the estate and will be working closely with the new landlords to extract underlying value whilst undertaking a schedule of significant refurbishment works.”

Phil and Mark Stewardson founded Stewardson Developments back in 1996 and the company has grown from humble beginnings to boast a portfolio of residential and commercial properties available to rent across the West Midlands.

In 2015 they also acquired Jennings & Gilchreaste Ltd, which operates a growing property portfolio across Lancashire and the North West.

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