Work to start on Metro line as eyesore set for demolition

Work is set to start on Dudley’s long-awaited Metro tram line. It has also been confirmed that an eyesore office block is to be torn down.Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street and Cllr Pat Harley, leader of Dudley Council, officially broke ground on the £449m Metro line and announced a £724,000 funding deal by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to demolish the derelict seven-storey Cavendish House and clear the site ready for development.Cavendish House will now be knocked down within weeks, paving the way for the wider £82m Portersfield development featuring retail, leisure and housing.The WMCA deal ends decades of inactivity on the site with several attempts to clear the vandalised 1970s block and regenerate the area failing to materialise.The Metro extension, which is also being funded by the WMCA, will further transform Dudley, offering a long-awaited rail transit connection to the rest of the region, driving investment and economic growth.