A PUBLIC inquiry will be held on plans for a £25million university campus in Dudley after the council failed to reach an agreement with the owner of a building on the site.

Dudley Council has been in discussions with the owner of a banqueting suite on part of the Castle Hill site, which it wants to buy and demolish to make way for construction on the university to begin.

But an agreement has not been reached, forcing the authority to pursue a compulsory purchase order (CPO) to progress the project, with a date for the public inquiry set for May 14-17 to determine the way forward.

The inquiry will be chaired by a government planning inspector, who will decide if the council can acquire the banqueting suite building.

The council has also had to set aside £1.8million towards financing the project to help with any delays in securing the land and any inflationary pressures.

The hippodrome building has already been flattened and part of the site cleared.

Only a martial arts building and the banqueting suite remain on the site.

If the council is successful, work on the university, which will provide courses for the health sector, is anticipated to start in January 2025 and be completed by summer 2026.

A report was considered at a meeting of the cabinet last night (Mon) and members noted the progress on the scheme including the need for a public inquiry.

Senior members also agreed to the £1.8million in the capital programme to finance the project to help with delays.

The rest of the money has come as part of the government’s Towns Fund project, with Dudley being one of only 100 councils nationally to receive money.

Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said: “When complete this project will be a massive boost for education, training and skills in this borough and there is a lot to be excited about.”

The project is spearheaded by the Towns Fund Board – a partnership between the council, Dudley College of Technology, University of Worcester, tourist attractions and other key organisations in Dudley.

Documents relating to the CPO will be available at Dudley Council Plus for public inspection.

Planning approval was granted in 2021 for the university on the site of the former Hippodrome.