BRIERLEY Hill High Street could be in line for a £2 million cash injection to revive the town's fortunes and aid its regeneration.

Dudley Council chiefs have applied to Historic England for cash through its Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) programme in a bid to improve properties to bring them back into use, either for retail or housing purposes.

It is hoped that the funding, if successful, will help regenerate the town centre by also upgrading the street's appearance to make it more attractive.

Council bosses are also exploring the possibility of creating a pedestrian link through from the High Street to the new Metro extension, which is expected to be in place by 2023.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of the council, said: "I fully support this Heritage Action Zone funding bid, which if successful will bring much-needed investment into the centre of Brierley Hill and in turn support local businesses.

"The Metro extension coming to Brierley Hill in 2023 has the potential to be a real game changer for the town.

"As a council we are fully committed to investing in the town to capitalise on the new opportunities the Metro will bring."

One in five of the properties in the High Street are currently vacant, with many in a poor state of repair, according to Dudley Council.