£150m Wolverhampton housing project will 'revitalise city centre' - MP Pat McFadden

Property Developer Wavensmere Homes says it has now started enabling works on building the first phase of a 533 home development on the fomer British Steel stie at Qualcast Road

And the area's MP Pat McFadden, who represents Wolverhampton South East, said the project would provide a boost for the local economy, in both construction phases and following the completion of the redevelopment of the site, which has lain derelict since the collapse of British Steel.

“It was great to visit and see work getting underway at the former British Steel and Crane Foundry site in Horsley Fields, which has been lying vacant for over 15 years," he said. 

"This redevelopment will revitalise our city centre, while creating hundreds of jobs and giving a major boost to the local economy, now and in the future."

The news of the start of works on site comes following confirmation of a £20m loan to enable the development from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), announced by regional mayor Richard Parker earlier this month. A total of 131 of the planned 533 homes were sold to a private real estate firm for future rental schemes in February.

Designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects, the low-rise development will emulate the surrounding conservation area and maximise the canalside setting. The scheme will include seven acres of vibrant green space and open up a new pedestrian route to the city core, reducing the previous walk time by 20 minutes, and attracting new investment into a commercial corridor.

Completion of the first phase of around 150 homes expected is in early 2027.

“Having received confirmation of £20m of development funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Frontier Development Capital only last week, we are thrilled to be demonstrating our focus on deliverability by starting work at Canalside South immediately," said James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes.

"With Wavensmere’s proud history of regenerating vacant land in the Black Country, we have mobilised our local and regional supply chain and will transform this current eyesore into a landmark development we can all be immensely proud of.”

Phase one will comprise 153 contemporary two- and three-bedroom houses, with completion scheduled for early 2027. Access to the first two phases will be provided via Qualcast Road, which will function as the primary Spine Road, seamlessly connecting all secondary routes within the development. 

Phase three will be accessed via Bailey Street and fully integrated into the wider road network, ensuring efficient traffic flow throughout the site and surrounding areas.

The full regeneration and build programme is projected to complete by the end of 2031.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Wolverhampton desperately needs more homes and getting spades in the ground on Canalside South is part of the solution to that. It's also why I have invested £20m into the scheme.

"But it's more than just bricks and mortar, it's about creating a thriving new community and shaping a bright future for the city. And it will provide more than a hundred affordable homes for local people, a key priority for me in tackling the region's housing crisis."