City centre’s £15m makeover to start this month
Works will start this month on the first phase of the Wolverhampton Council’s multimillion-pound revamp of the city centre.
Contractors Eurovia will carry out the works and are currently setting up their site compound off Peel Street.
Phase one focuses on the west of the city centre, with advanced works facilitating the start of main works in August on Salop Street and Victoria Street, which will support the council’s 2022 events programme.
Advanced works will begin on Monday, July 12, with lane closures and temporary signals on Bell Street, with one weekend of overnight road closures for carriageway resurfacing between July 30 and August 2.
The main works will also see the creation of a box park on Bell Street that will provide a food and beverage offer and host live entertainment.
Demolition of unused buildings in Cleveland Parade will pave the way for a car park for visitors to the box park and neighbouring businesses.
The scheme – expected to be completed in 2023 – is being funded from the £15.7m secured by the council from the Government’s Future High Street Fund.
A further phase of work will also start this year to develop the street scene around the Civic Halls ahead of its reopening in 2022 following a major refurbishment.
City of Wolverhampton Council’s Steve Evans said: “This will be transformational for our city centre and will form a key part of Wolverhampton’s recovery plan following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Confidence to invest in the City of Wolverhampton remains high and we are working with a wide range of key partners and stakeholders to continue to stimulate and accelerate growth.
“The Future High Street Fund works will build on this and, most importantly deliver real, tangible benefits for businesses, residents and visitors to our city centre, supporting the development of our five-year events strategy, which will get into full swing in 2022, with the Commonwealth Games cycling time trial, British Art Show 9, our first-ever Creation Day Festival and the reopening of our Civic and Wulfrun Halls.”
The Future High Street Fund works will complement other development schemes already underway or in the pipeline in the city, including the £150m city centre Interchange and commercial district, thousands of new city centre homes at Brewers Yard and Canalside, and the Westside development.
