New vision for Wolverhampton is unveiled

Tim Johnson has taken over the role as the most senior council officer in charge of Wolverhampton's regeneration, and today outlined his plans which he hopes will bring people back into Wolverhampton and keep them spending money there for longer.

Among his plans is a night market, similar to one introduced in neighbouring Walsall, where he previously did a similar job.

In an interview with the Express & Star, Mr Johnson said he was committed to new schemes that would complement what was already in Wolverhampton as he tries to move the city on from the aftermath left behind by the abandoned £300 million Summer Row shopping centre scheme.

The 46-year-old had overseen regeneration in Walsall for nine years and took over the role in Wolverhampton at the end of May. It had previously been carried out by £785-a-day interim director Charles Green, who has now retired.

Summer Row was scrapped at the start of 2011, shortly before the last permanent regeneration director Steve Boyes left in a round of redundancies that saw around a dozen of the highest-earning council staff axed.

Mr Johnson is now tasked with delivering results after the council launched a prospectus for developers, outlining where it saw the opportunities for new offices, hotels and restaurants.

The council is trying to re-invigorate the area that would have become the Summer Row shopping centre – bordered by Worcester Street, Cleveland Street, Temple Street and Snow Hill – by offering grants to businesses to stay put, rather than trying to buy them out and demolish their premises.

Twenty one businesses have had a share of the council's £400,000 business grant scheme for the area. Around 25 properties have been acquired by the council in what it now calls Southside with a view to either refurbishing and reletting them or demolishing them where they pose an eyesore.

For the first time in many years, the council-owned Cleveland Street parade is currently fully let with five new businesses joining existing ones. The upper floors of Burdett House have been let to the All Nations Christian Centre and the former Beach Nightclub to Casino 36.

Mr Johnson said: "We want to make it as risk-free for new businesses to be here as possible. A key part of regeneration is going to be independent businesses.

"Almost everywhere has a Marks & Spencer or other chain stores, and while they are very important, we need to give people more reasons to come here.

"What we need is a much broader offer in terms of entertainment and dining out.

"We have clear gaps in terms of what's here, such as a cinema and more eating and drinking places. Another possibility is a night-time market, similar to that set up in Walsall. ," Mr Johnson added.

He said the council was in discussions with developers about the prospect of a cinema. He also said he was confident plans for Sainsbury's and Tesco to build their long-awaited supermarkets at Raglan Street and the Royal Hospital would go ahead.

Councillor Peter Bilson, deputy leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said the authority had now done everything in its power to clear the way for the Raglan Street site where Sainsbury's is building a multi-million pound superstore.