Jobs and 111 homes on way to Wolverhampton Sunbeam site
It has stood as a depressing reminder of decline and dereliction for a decade and a half. But now the iconic former Sunbeam factory is being given a new lease of life as homes.
And today it can be revealed that 40 jobs will be created over the course of a three-year renovation of the 120,000 sq ft building.
New owner Liam Wordley has submitted plans to create 111 homes, with 30 of them set aside to provide supported housing for people with learning disabilities.
The remaining 81 will be available to rent on the open market and will be of different sizes. It is expected some will be across two floors.
Developers have also revealed they will be re-instating the iconic Sunbeam lettering down the side of the building as part of the renovation.
The courtyard of the building will be gutted and landscaped to provide a grassed area for people to sit and play sports. There will also be new spiral staircases built.
Of the new jobs, 32 will be during the construction phase with many of the others expected to come from the caring profession.
The site will also have 110 car parking spaces according to plans lodged with Wolverhampton City Council.
Mr Wordley was also behind the redevelopment of the former Territorial Army drill hall in Stafford Street as student accommodation.
He said he was talking to registered social landlords about the prospect of them providing the support for people with learning disabilities at the Sunbeam site.
The 34-year-old former Exeter Chiefs rugby player said: "There will be around 40 people with learning disabilities catered for with a linked up alarm and call system.
"What is currently there at the Sunbeam site is a derelict shell. This project will give it a new life."
The former factory off the Penn Road island has been empty for 14 years.
It is not far from where Sainsbury's has now begun the development of its multi-million pound supermarket.
The site also stands at the gateway to the city's ring road.
In its report to the city council, developers J Mason Associates said: "The Midlands is the home to some of the finest industrial architecture of the last two hundreds years and Wolverhampton was a key city in the area.
The Sunbeam factory was no exception and the section of the extensive factory that remains is both an important monument to the transport industry and also a prominent landmark in the area.
"Working with the existing fabric of the building new proposals will look to retain many of the industrial features whilst combining a modern twist to enable comfortable and spacious inner city living that is visually engaging."
It goes on to say: "The iconic 'Sunbeam' lettering down the points of the building are to be re-instated."
The Sunbeam motorcycles that were built there were renowned all over the world and were manufactured at the site in Paul Street and Jeddo Street from 1890 to 1937.
The factory also moved into car production and produced vehicles that were successful on the racing circuit and driven by the likes of Sir Henry Seagrave.
One of the company's largest achievements included producing the car which broke the world land-speed record at Daytona Beach in Florida in 1927 after hitting 203.79mph.
Sunbeam closed in 1936 and Associated Motor Cycles took over the site in 1937, manufacturing radiators at the factory.
Production finished in 1999 with the loss of 60 jobs.
