Multi-million Bilston urban village plans near completion

Stalled multi-million pound plans to transform the face of Bilston with a 90-acre urban village today moved a step forward as a report nears completion.

Planning experts have revealed that a pub, restaurant, hotel and homes were all being looked at as options for the site, which is right next to the Black Country Route.

The Bilston Urban Village scheme has faced repeated delays due to the high cost of preparing the land for development and problems caused by mine shafts in the area.

Two major developments, The Bert Williams Leisure Centre, which opened in December last year, and a new site for the South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy, set to open in September, are already in place on the land.

But a decision on what will be done with the remaining 90 acres of land has been under discussion for more than a decade.

Now planning experts Arup are working on plans for how it could be developed.

Councillor Val Gibson, who represents Bilston East Ward, said she was "really happy" that progress was being made.

She said: "It's been a long time coming but the council seems to have the right people in place to make sure the development will happen.

"About a third to a quarter of the 90 acres is not going to be usable for building, its going to be landscaped.

"We would hope that people will now see the land start to be developed within the next three or four years."

Arups' report will also look at where land should remain as open space because of mine shafts underneath the ground which would make it difficult to build.