CITY chiefs will be asked this week to approve a £13.4m package of measures aimed at revitalising an area of Wolverhampton left stranded following the collapse of a £300m retail scheme.
Businesses in the area bordered by Worcester Street, Temple Street, Snow Hill and Cleveland Street would have been acquired as part of the CPO to make way for the £300m project and had been preparing for several years for this eventuality.
The council said that, as a consequence, many properties and businesses fell into disrepair with these new measures designed to boost the ‘Southside’ area of the city.
It said it acknowledged the lengthy period of uncertainty over whether Summer Row would ever be built had resulted in Southside now needing assistance to get it back on its feet.
Key points of the ‘Southside Intervention Plan’ are to buy vacant, rundown and dilapidated premises and bring them back into use.
It aims to clean up the area and look at ways of improving its appearance through possible landscaping, lighting, planting and signage and offer grants to support new and existing businesses.
If approved by cabinet on Wednesday, its implementation will begin immediately.
