Urban village cost soars by £20m
The cost of transforming Bilston with an urban village project has soared by more than £20 million. Wolverhampton City Council had expected the development, set to mark a new era in the town, to cost £176 million.
But the cost of the transformation has escalated to "£200million-plus". Council chiefs revealed the figure after announcing a deal had been signed with Places for People to create the development. It will create 350 jobs during construction and almost 750 when completed.
The first phase of work to clear the 100-acre site, off the Black Country Route between Morrisons supermarket and Bilston High School, has already kicked off.
And workers are expected to start creating a new £15million state-of-the-art leisure centre, complete with 25-metre, eight-lane swimming pool, squash courts and health suite, next month.
Councillor Paddy Bradley, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said today: "This is extremely good news for Bilston, and to secure this deal in the current economic climate is very tangible proof of the potential of Bilston and its communities.
"I am pleased that a large number of local jobs will be created and the council will be working with its partners to help ensure that opportunities for local people are maximised."
Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett said he believed the costs of remediating the land ready for the development could have led to the increase in the total bill.
A health centre is being created as part of the development that will also include 900 homes, a new academy for Parkfield High School, plaza, shops and a cafe. Seven properties in High Street, thought to be around 100-years-old, are set to be knocked down and replaced with a tree-lined boulevard linking the development to the town.
The bulk of the village development is targeted to be completed within 10 years and is expected to include allotments, parkland, provision for a new Metro tram stop, and pedestrian and cycle networks.
