Shops, flats and hotel rooms planned for former Wolverhampton job centre building
A vacant former job centre building is to be converted into a mixture of shops, apartments and hotel accommodation, under plans submitted to the council this week.
Chapel Court, which spans Queen Street, Market Street and Castle Street in Wolverhampton city centre, closed to Jobcentre Plus several years ago and has remained empty ever since. The site has also fallen victim to vandalism and antisocial behaviour and new developers are keen to sustain the future of the building.
Wolverhampton property investor Arsh Ellahi is seeking approval to turn the three-storey property into a viable asset that will be “a benefit to the whole city centre”.
In a statement to planners, Jacob Sedgemore from Albrighton-based Stoneleigh Architectural Services, acting on behalf of Mr Ellahi, said: “This is a prominent site that for many years was the base of Jobcentre Plus. Post Covid, the shift towards working from home and smaller office units has resulted in it becoming vacant. Fairly detailed pre-application discussions with the council’s planning department have been ongoing and the feedback so far has been extremely positive.
“Including the basement, the building has four existing floors and our proposed scheme is for four mixed use commercial units of different sizes on the ground floor, designed to attract as many small businesses as possible. On the first and second floors above, plans have been submitted for 14 residential apartments on each level.
“These will both have 11 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom flats. The rooms will all have an open plan kitchen, bathroom and living space. Each will be accessed via a spacious central corridor, with fire protection and escape routes at both ends of the building.
“Our application also details plans for 20 compact hotel units in the basement. These are being aimed at the Airbnb sector, offering short-term overnight stays in comfortable and affordable accommodation. They will have a bed, storage space, kitchenette/tea making facilities and individual ensuite shower rooms,” he added.
“Aesthetically, the scheme offers very little change to the existing structure. No extensions are proposed and the existing brickwork facade will be retained. The development of this vacant site will be a benefit to the whole city centre.”
Planners are due to make a decision on the proposals in the near future.
