Wolverhampton Beatties transformation set to go-ahead after planners give green light to redevelopment
Plans to redevelop Wolverhampton's famous Beatties department store, including the restoration of a crescent-shaped terrace, have been given the go-ahead by planners.
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Eden (Beatties) Ltd has been granted planning permission to turn the 100-year-old Art Deco department store into 306 apartments and 73,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace.
The plans, unveiled last month, will see the removal of a ground-floor extension, which was added to the store in the 1990s, to open up a concave recess in the frontage which had been a distinctive architectural feature of the original building.
Beatties has been empty since the end of 2020, when owner House of Fraser moved to a smaller department store in the Mander Centre.
The 376,636 sq ft building was bought for £3 million by SSYS Beatties Ltd, owned by London-based solicitor Pragnesh Modhwadia, who was granted permission for a mixed us development comprising flats and commercial space.
But the scheme floundered following the collapse of Mr Modhwadia's business empire, with £61 million allegedly going missing.
Eden Estates bought the building from the receiver for £6.16 million, and drew up fresh plans for the site.
Architects said the new plans were carefully designed to retain as much of the building’s original fabric as possible.
The central retail core of the building will be demolished to create an internal courtyard area, with pavement cafes at ground floor level.
