Former Wolverhampton hostel in line to be student digs
A former hostel for the homeless is to be converted into student accommodation if plans are approved by council bosses.
The former Good Shepherd Hostel, on Thornley Street in Wolverhampton, has been boarded up for some time, with the hostel now based at the Methodist Centre in School Street.
Now plans could see the former base transformed into individual student bedsits, including disabled accommodation, communal facilities as well as a separate café and restaurant.
The three-storey building currently has offices, a cinema room, laundry, dining hall and kitchen all accessed from a central lobby and reception. Upstairs it has single bedrooms with shared washroom facilities, kitchen, dining and lounge spaces to each of the two floors. The property had been a hostel for homeless people since the 1970s. Good Shepherd moved out of the building in 2003.
Plans submitted by WV1 Limited via ACP Architects to Wolverhampton council about the works state that the property is in a good location for university students.
The application states: “Within just a short walking distance to the building are Campus Buildings for the University of Wolverhampton, along with the main train station, bus terminus and Centro Metro Tram Link. The premises are in addition well located in the heart of the city centre affording easy access to shops, bars, the Civic Centre, art gallery, theatres and bars.”
Under the plan, the ground floor would be opened up into a café and restaurant for both the people living there and the public. No extension will be built as the applicant wants to give a ‘facelift’ to the ‘gloomy’ site.
The application states: “No additional buildings or extensions to the existing property are to be created. The only external alterations will involve improvements in facelifting what is presently a gloomy main entrance, re-organisation of the rear enclosed courtyard area with the introduction of new planting, bench seating and a smoking shelter, and reconfiguring of the car park to improve access for vehicles entering off Whitmore Road and incorporating disabled parking provision, secure cycle parking and a dedicated bin store along with enhanced planting.” Councillor Craig Collingswood, Labour Councillor for Park ward said: “On the face of it these look like exciting plans to bring back to life an old building. Not only this but turning it into student accommodation could have a positive impact on both the day-time and night economy in the city.
“The Good Shepherd has done some fantastic work in the city for many many years, but obviously when the building is no longer suitable then new plans for them are brought forward.”
No one from WV1 Limited via ACP Architects was available to comment at the time of publication.
