Major department store at heart of ambitious Wolverhampton Mander Centre revamp plans

And now proposals have been unveiled to transform the Mander Shopping Centre in a move which will see a new major department store welcomed to Wolverhampton.

And chiefs have hailed the project as a much needed shot in the arm for the city centre.

• Wolverhampton's Mander Centre to be transformed in revamp

• Star comment - Wolverhampton Mander Centre revamp is good sign

Under the proposals the former TJ Hughes store will be extended to 94,000sq ft so it can house the new department store.

Three new large shop units will also be opened as part of the project along with eight kiosks. Another 39 smaller units will be replaced with 11 larger ones.

Shop fronts will be extended to improve the look of the centre while the layout will also be overhauled with lifts and escalators re-located.

The lower arcade will close as part of the plans.

The project follows other regeneration schemes announced for Wolverhampton including a £5million project to improve pedestrian facilities in the city centre.

In the next 12 months, £1.6 million of work will be carried out. This will include the widening of pavements in Queen Street and the remodelling of Princess Street to include a cycle route.

Work on a £6m new youth zone is set to start later this year.

The new centre will be built on land off Worcester Street in the city centre on the site of the former Scala cinema.

As well as sports facilities, it will have dedicated space for dance, music, arts and crafts.

Construction is also underway on a new Sainsbury's on the outskirts of the city centre.

The director of the Mander Centre Nicholas Pitt says work on the shopping centre will be a further boost for the city.

He said: "This is a very positive thing for Wolverhampton.

"It shows that Wolverhampton is evolving as a whole and going in the right direction.

"Other people are doing things that are going to bring the city centre up to the mark.

"I think this is part of a catalyst for change."

Mr Pitt added that he hoped the overhaul, which he said would cost a 'significant' sum of money, would attract new businesses to the shopping centre.

He said: "We are re-configuring it to be filled by prospective new offers in the shopping centre and we have to do this because our existing configurations aren't sufficiently attractive."

It has not yet been revealed which firm bosses are hoping will move into the new department store.

Debenhams has previously expressed an interest in the city but would not confirm whether it is behind the Mander Centre plans. The department store chain – which has 240 outlets across 28 countries, including 155 in the UK – was originally expected to be a key focus of the city's planned new Summer Row shopping centre which was scrapped three years ago when developers couldn't get the money together.

Debenhams spokeswoman Helen Lacey said: "We continue to investigate opportunities in Wolverhampton."

The city's shopping scene suffered a severe blow when plans for the £300m Summer Row scheme, which Marks & Spencer was also expected to anchor, were scuppered.

In an attempt to revive it the city was awarded £100,000 to take part in a pilot scheme run by retail guru Mary Portas to improve the high street.

Half of the money was used to run a competition to help independent traders open in the city centre. If the proposals for the Mander Centre go ahead it will make a major turning point in the history of the site. The shopping complex was built in phases between 1965 and 1976.

Its last major refurbishment was in 1987.

A public consultation will now be held on the proposals so that shoppers can have their say on the plans.

Artist impressions will go on display near New Look.

Officials will be on hand tomorrow afternoon to tell people about the proposals and answer any questions they may have. If the scheme comes to fruition it is hoped the revamp will be completed by 2017.

Bosses have vowed the centre will remain open throughout the redevelopment.

Mr Pitt added: "We are going to ensure the customer experience is maintained throughout. That's our priority."