New-look Wolverhampton Mander Centre is revealed

A new department store is planned for the centre as part of its proposed multi-million pound revamp.

And this image today shows what shoppers in the Bell Street area will see if the work goes ahead.

An application has been submitted to Wolverhampton City Council seeking permission for demolition work on the south western corner of the centre, fronting Bell Street, which will be be replaced by a new 90,000 sq ft department store.

The department store – which is believed to be Debenhams – will be the anchor to the newly-revamped centre. It was announced in February this year that owners Delancey were planning to carry out a huge transformation.

Three new major shop units and eight new kiosks will be created under the plans. Proposals also include replacing 39 small units with 11 new look ones, while the lower central arcade could close.

Lifts and escalators would be relocated and shopfronts extended to make them more visible from a distance.

It is believed the new department store will take over the unit occupied by Home Living and before that, TJ Hughes.

An application submitted to Wolverhampton city council stresses the need for the centre to undergo a revamp, which it is hoped would begin in 2017. "A large number of vacant stores and short term lets indicate that a major redevelopment is necessary for the centre to retain its viability and improve its attractivenesss to shoppers," the report says.

It is said the shopping centre will remain open throughout the development, which is subject to a consultation.

Debenhams has previously expressed an interest in the city. The department store chain – which has 155 outlets in the UK – was originally expected to be a key focus of the city's Summer Row shopping centre plan, which was scrapped three years ago when developers could not get the money together.

Mander Centre director Nicholas Pitt has said work shows the city is 'evolving as a whole and going in the right direction'.