Work halted on city’s outdoor market after human remains find

Work on Wolverhampton’s £4.9m outdoor market has been suspended after human remains were unearthed at the site.

The find at the Cleveland site is believed to be related to an 18th Century chapel, which formerly stood on the site.

The city council said only one set of remains have been found and parts have now been sent to the University of Dundee for tests.

The development was due to open on July 17.

The city council is making an application to the Ministry of Justice for the appropriate exhumation licence, which could take several weeks to be granted.

A City of Wolverhampton Council spokesperson said: “Where possible, market works will continue elsewhere on site without disturbing the ground where the remains rest.

“We are working closely with archaeological experts to establish if this is an isolated set of remains or if they form part of a wider burial ground.”