Black Country Authorities Line Up Contractors for £180m Infrastructure Programme

Local authorities across the Black Country and wider West Midlands have established a new construction framework worth up to £180 million, creating a pipeline of infrastructure opportunities over the next four years.

The agreement, coordinated by Wolverhampton City Council, will provide councils and public sector bodies with access to a pre-approved pool of contractors for highways, transport and civil engineering projects ranging from small-scale improvements to major infrastructure schemes.

The framework has been developed in collaboration with Birmingham City Council, Dudley Council, Sandwell Council, Walsall Council, Wolverhampton Homes and the West Midlands Combined Authority, reflecting a joint approach to future investment across the region.

Sixteen companies have secured places on the framework, which is scheduled to begin on 1 July 2026. The arrangement will initially run until June 2029, although provisions have been included to extend it for a further 12 months.

The largest share of anticipated spending is expected to come from major projects valued between £5 million and £10 million, accounting for approximately half of the framework's overall value. Medium-sized schemes valued between £750,000 and £5 million are forecast to represent a further £54 million of activity.

Smaller projects have also been catered for, with dedicated procurement routes established for schemes below £750,000, allowing authorities to access contractors for routine upgrades, maintenance works and local improvement projects.

A number of well-known infrastructure businesses have been selected to participate. Amey secured a place on the framework's highest-value category, while Holcim UK was appointed to deliver projects within the mid-value range.

Several contractors demonstrated the capability to deliver works across multiple value bands and were consequently awarded positions in more than one lot. These include firms such as Haystoun Construction, C.R. Reynolds and Fitzgerald Contractors.

The framework is expected to streamline procurement processes for participating authorities, reducing the time required to appoint contractors and accelerating the delivery of transport and infrastructure projects.

With significant investment planned across the West Midlands in the coming years, the framework is intended to provide a flexible delivery vehicle capable of supporting everything from local highways improvements and public realm enhancements to larger strategic transport schemes.

Read the full list of contractors appointed here