A maturing city

It’s not just the Council that’s transforming. Investment is flooding in to the City that will help transform it into a premier destination. A £300m expansion of the city’s retail core is planned. This prestigious development will comprise commercial, residential and leisure facilities that will include a flagship Debenhams department store, an 800-space underground car park and 86 retail units.

In addition, the prestigious £200m Interchange Project which will boost Wolverhampton’s growing status as a regional business and leisure destination. The Interchange will provide a new railway station linked to a remodelled bus station, together with residential, leisure and commercial development. A start on Phase 1 is envisaged in October.

Wolverhampton’s business credentials will be further enhanced by the development of the 90-hectare i54 technology-based business park which is projected to create up to 6,000 new jobs by 2020.

The city centre itself is not being left out and currently an extensive programme of refurbishments and improvements is taking place. This includes a makeover of the city’s main shopping area, the unveiling of a new distinctive water feature, and illuminated public art.

The proposed Bilston Urban Village, covering an area of 45 hectares brings together within one site the opportunity to develop physical and social regeneration proposals which embrace all major policy areas of the Council. These include education, health, leisure, housing, transport, sustainability and economic renewal. With a lead developer appointed and a contractor poised to start on the new Leisure Centre very soon there will be a step change in the pace of regeneration activity in this part of the City.