Sainsbury's reveal vision for new Wolverhampton store

Sainsbury's today unveiled its multi-million pound vision to transform a Wolverhampton eyesore with a new supermarket, petrol station and homes in a move that will create 450 jobs.

And it revealed for the first time that its current city centre store will be closed to make way for the planned new 90,000 sq ft superstore at Raglan Street in Graiseley.

Its creation will end more than a decade of wrangles over the site with Tesco, which owns a 10 per cent share of the land.

The two rivals have now agreed for the sale of the land as long as Tesco secures planning permission for a separate multi-million pound scheme to transform the Royal Hospital site into a supermarket.

Sainsbury's plans for Raglan Street include a new superstore with an 810-space car park and a petrol station, as well as 45 homes and 85 apartments with gardens and car parking spaces.

The locally-listed Attwood building would also be restored to create new homes.

Pedestrian links would be created to the store development and improvements made to Market car park. Bosses said the development would replace the existing Sainsbury's on St George's Parade. Staff there will be given the chance to move to the new branch.

Michael Adenmosun, regional development executive for Sainsbury's, said today: "We are keen to move forward with plans for Raglan Street and look forward to working with the local community to provide them with a long-awaited store.

"We appreciate that local people want to see the development come to fruition and with their help, we can finalise our plans, get planning permission and provide the community with a regenerated site."