WOLVERHAMPTON CITY CENTRE REGENERATIONAPSE 

CITY CENTRE REGENERATION 30 April 2014

Marie Bintley30 April 2014 

APSE ADVISORY GROUP

CITY CENTRE REGENERATION 30 APRIL 2014

City Centre –Areas of change and consolidation

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CONSOLIDATING AND EXPANDING THE RETAIL & LEISURE OFFER

Supermarkets

Sainsbury’s opening June 2014, 160 new jobs

Council land ownership and  highway land involved in site assembly

City Centre

High Street Innovation Fund / Portas Pilot, involved the use of Council assets

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WCC Ownership - Southside

CITY CENTRE REGENERATION 30 April 2014

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SOUTHSIDE INTERVENTION PLAN (SIP)

A short term action plan of key interventions in the area to arrest decline and support businesses 

Capital investment and revenue fund

Strategic land acquired by WCC

Business grants successful – property repairs / marketing support / relocations

Environmental and transport improvements

Opportunity Sites 

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SOUTHSIDE FORWARD STRATEGY

Further de‐risking of the Southside area involving: 

‐ Site acquisition

‐ Demolitions

‐ Site preparation

‐ Masterplanning approach

‐ Possible Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) – The City Centre AAP will provide the basis and support for any future CPO. 

Private sector development proposals: 

‐ Christian Centre 

‐ Casino – awaiting outcome of licensing process

Images of All Nations Church proposals

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MANDER CENTRE

£35m refurbishment proposed 

Planning application expected Spring 2014

Terms agreed with anchor tenants

Discussions ongoing with several other operators

Options for Council support currently being assessed

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WCC, Neptune, Centro, Network Rail, Virgin, CART

New railway station, refurbished car park, Metro expansion – opening scheduled 2016.   

Funding – Centro minded to commercially borrow subject to maximising other partner contributions. 

Blocks 10 & 11 – WCC investing   new Grade A offices and retail units, completion July 2015. 

Block 10 planning – resolution to grant (4 March 2014). 

Occupier interest  in commercial and retail units . 

Range of other office requirements. 

WOLVERHAMPTON INTERCHANGE – COMMERCIAL GATEWAY

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Images of  Block 10 (top) and train station (bottom)

WESTSIDE DELIVERY STRATEGY 7 MARCH 2014

Westside – Existing

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Youth Zone site

Former-Fox Hotel

WESTSIDE 1

WESTSIDE 2

WESTSIDE 3

Sainsbury’s development

Westside –Indicative masterplan

Research commissioned – strengths, capacities, opportunities

Grand Theatre – in discussions with owner over adjoining Post Office building

Civic Halls – looking at feasibility and options appraisal. To improve the facility 

Cinema – gap in the city centre offer. First planning application received for Network House.

Important economic driver, complementary to retail / leisure offer

IMPROVING THE CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT OFFER

Image from recent Conygar application for Network House

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CONCLUSIONS

Council used assets to lever significant regeneration;

Undertook a programme of strategic acquisitions to remove blight and link with other major regeneration opportunities;

Continue to have positive dialogue with private developers and identify synergy with assets;

Council is aware that regeneration is about more than physical regeneration.

CITY CENTRE REGENERATION 30 APRIL 2014

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