Wolverhampton MP shares his thoughts on University of Wolverhampton redevelopment plans

A Wolverhampton MP has said he will be sad to see the city university's landmark School of Art disappear from the skyline - but broadly welcomes its redevelopment plans.

Warinder Juss gives his maiden speech to the Commons

Warinder Juss, Labour MP for Wolverhampton West, welcomed the University of Wolverhampton's plans to create a medical school in the city, and gave his support to plans to improve links across its city-centre campus, which is currently split in two by Ring Road St Peters.

This week the university unveiled its plan for the future, which will see the closure of its Telford campus next year, and the demolition of the landmark School of Art and Design.

Wolverhampton University's School of Art is also set to disappear — The School of Art is set to disappear from Wolverhampton's skyline

The sports centre, in Deanery Place, between Wulfruna Street and the ring road, will also close to make way for the medical school. Administrative staff will be moved into vacant space within Wolverhampton Civic Centre.

In the longer term, the university said it hoped to re-route Ring Road St Peters through a tunnel beneath a garden area which would link the campus in Molineux Street with its buildings in Wulfruna Street, St Peter's Square and Deanery Place.

Eventually, the university hopes to route the ring road through a tunnel beneath a garden area

Mr Juss, a former student of the university, and whose constituency covers the main campus, said he had some mixed emotions, but said the plan would be good for the city.

"Although I would be sorry to see the disappearance of the School of Art building, which has been a landmark in Wolverhampton, I welcome the plans being made for the creation of a new medical school in Wolverhampton, and for there to be a tunnel beneath a garden to combine the Wolverhampton city campus, which is currently split into two."

Wolverhampton University's campus in Telford will close next year — Closing - the university's Telford campus

Plans to demolish the Brutalist nine-storey School of Art building, opened in 1970 by celebrated sculptor and former student Sir Charles Wheeler, have been opposed by the 20th Century Society.

Historic England is considering an application by the organisation to grant the building listed status, which could make it more difficult for the university to press ahead with its demolition plans.

An online petition calling for the building to be saved has so far attracted almost 1,400 signatures.