End of an era for Wolverhampton industrial estate

Plans to demolish units at the Tower and Fort Works in Pelham Street, Graiseley, which now stand empty but previously hosted the country's third largest car manufacturer, Clyno, have been approved by the city council.

The units now stand empty after businesses were moved on with the help of Wolverhampton council, which spent £913,000 relocating 12 companies.

After Clyno moved out in 1927, the site was occupied by Midland Metal Spinners which made Presto and Tower pressure cookers, saucepans and kettles.

However, discussions have been ongoing for a number of years as to what could be done with the buildings, which council bosses say have been underused.

In 2012 an artist transformed the site by creating a series of stunning murals.

Steve Edwards was given permission by the city council to spray paint 10ft tall images at the Tower Works site, which can still be seen on the empty buildings.

Proposals to build houses on the site were included in the council's 12-year masterplan for the city, published last year.

Councillor Elias Mattu, who represents Graiseley ward, said: "This is great news on two levels for me.

"As a city councillor I am pleased that the demolition will go ahead because it will benefit the city as a whole and as someone who lives in Graiseley I am delighted my area will be revitalised.

"I think this is long overdue, the site has been underused for too long.

"There is obviously a lot of history associated with the site but the buildings are just too old and I think a new housing development will really breathe new life into the area.

"A lot of buildings in Graiseley are quite old and we are working to give it a more modern feel, which I think this decision will help.

"It is absolutely a key site for our regeneration plans and this decision should be welcomed."

In its heyday Clyno was reputedly the third largest car manufacturer in the UK after Austin and Morris.

It all began when cousins Frank and Ailwyn Smith of Thrapston, Northamptonshire designed and manufactured a pulley with a variable drive ratio, for belt-driven machines. They called it the 'inclined pulley', which soon became abbreviated to the 'clined' and finally Clyno.

In 1909 they began to manufacture motorcycles, and in 1910 the company moved into a factory at Pelham Street, Wolverhampton, on the site of Fort Works.

In January 1927, the company moved to a new factory at Bushbury.

At least 490 new homes will be built in Graiseley and Blakenhall as part of the long term revamp of the city, according to the action plan, published last year by council bosses. There are also ambitions for a canal quarter, city centre cinema, public squares and scores of shops across Wolverhampton, and a supermarket in Stafford Street.

Some 2,123 homes will be built across the city by 2026, with 630 of those in the new canalside development.

The demolition of the units on site can be carried out at any point over the next five years. Councillor John Reynolds, the city council economy boss, said the decision made 'good sense'.

He said: "It is good that we are going to bring some top quality modern housing to the area.

"It is unfortunate that a historic building has to go but it was becoming quite worn down.

"It had been subject to vandalism and so I think it makes good sense to move on now."