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Funding is to be allocated to support the purchase of the Priorslee site, currently occupied by the University of Wolverhampton, who announced last year their plans to close the campus as part of a rationalisation programme.

The funding is part of a £59 million package which will be set aside to support further Growth initiatives.

This builds on the Council’s strong track record of securing growth, new employment opportunities and meeting gaps in the commercial market.

One recent example of this growth is Orchard Business Park at Hortonwood where 24 new industrial units have created 75 new jobs.

The Council is hoping to bring Harper Adams University on board as a key partner for the site and to provide a new base for the University’s expanding higher education provision and support for regional skills development.

Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin Council Leader, said:

“We remain committed to this site to safeguard higher education in our Borough and retain and create new employment opportunities for local people.

“We are in discussions with Harper Adams University and hope to be able to announce our plans and new use for the site in the near future which will all be part of our wider budget plans for 2026-27.”

As well as investing in safeguarding the future of Priorslee campus, Telford & Wrekin Council’s proposed budget for 2026/27 commits £150 million to supporting vulnerable children, people with disabilities and older adults, equal to 70p in every £1 the Council spends to provide care and support for people who need it most.

At the same time as keeping Council Tax the lowest in the Midlands, the Budget will also deliver £437 million in capital investment into the priorities residents value most, including better homes and roads, expanding schools, enhancing bus services, and supporting our high streets.

Find out more about the 2026/27 budget proposals, and share your views at www.telford.gov.uk/budget