500 extra car parking spaces to be created at Wolverhampton railway station

The multi-million pound redevelopment will see the station's current multi-storey car park refurbished and extended by 520 spaces, to more than 900.

It precedes plans for a new railway station being unveiled next year.

The plans form part of an ambitious £111.7million project to regenerate that part of the city, including a new office block featuring restaurants and pubs due to open next year by the bus station.

The bus station itself opened in 2011, costing £22.5m, and the railway station revamp will cost £40m.

A new entrance to the car park will be created in Mill Street and parking for bikes, motorbikes and taxis will be provided.

Long term, a new hotel will be built on land between Railway Drive and the car park, completely revamping the frontage to the station.

Wolverhampton City Council is delivering the project alongside developer Neptune.

The council's regeneration chief Councillor Peter Bilston said: "We are delighted with this news and we can now get the wheels in motion on what is a really exciting project for the city of Wolverhampton.

"The current multi-storey car park has been around for a long while and I am sure we all welcome the approval of these plans.

"This is an instrumental part of the Wolverhampton Interchange project and paves the way for further developments to bring growth, prosperity and jobs to Wolverhampton."

The approval was granted by planning chiefs.

Also part of the long term vision is an extension of the tram network, which will extend from it's current terminal at St George's and join with the railway station.

Neptune managing director Steve Parry said: "This is an important element within the overall Wolverhampton Interchange scheme and the vision for a modern state-of-the-art transport hub.

"The facilities for both car drivers and cyclists are being extended and improved with a high quality design in keeping with the aspirations that we have set for the overall project."