Hundreds of homes planned for derelict Wolverhampton industrial site
A derelict site in the Black Country in one of three in the Midlands to be named as part of a brownfield regeneration scheme.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has confirmed the multi-million-pound investment package to kickstart the development of nearly 400 homes and new commercial premises at three sites.
The brownfield regeneration schemes in Coventry, Nuneaton and Wolverhampton are the latest from the WMCA’s nationally acclaimed devolved housing and regeneration programme which is providing new homes, jobs and commercial spaces while supporting the region’s economic recovery from the Covid pandemic.
Culwell Street in Wolverhampton is one of the sites being developed, with 300 homes being constructed in the first phase of the Brewers Yard regeneration project, alongside other developments in Coventry and Nuneaton.
Further benefits of the schemes include the development of affordable housing for local people, the support of construction and supply chain jobs, the development of new skills and training and the use of the latest modular construction techniques.
The investment is drawn from the devolved housing and land funds secured by the WMCA from Government and will be used to cover the expensive land clean up, demolition and critical infrastructure costs at the three former industrial sites.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA, said: "The Covid pandemic has hit the West Midlands hard, but we’re determined to not be knocked off course and to press on with our plans to remediate derelict industrial land.
"Not only do these projects breathe life into old brownfield sites, but they also help to create and secure local jobs - both now and for the future. This is key for both our recovery from the pandemic and my 100,000 jobs plan.
"Also, by prioritising brownfield sites such as these for development, we’re helping to protect precious greenbelt land around the West Midlands.
"All of this has been made possible by the substantial cash we have secured from Government, and we will continue to work with them to bring more eyesore sites back to life, building more homes and creating more jobs across the West Midlands."
Councillor Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio holder for housing and land and leader of Walsall Council, said: "These projects are some of the largest that the Combined Authority has supported to date.
"Their approval is the latest in a series of WMCA investment commitments that have continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, helping to provide market confidence and put in place the building blocks required to drive the region’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery plans."
Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for city environment, Councillor Steve Evans, said: "This is an important step in delivering Brewers Yard for Wolverhampton, one of the biggest game-changing schemes in the region.
"In the coming years phase one will deliver top-quality living at the heart of our city, with connectivity to state-of-the-art transport facilities.
"It is all part of £4.4 billion of investment in Wolverhampton that is also delivering jobs and opportunities for local people of all ages."
