Completion date set for first phase of £150m Wolverhampton housing project as work gets underway

Property Developer Wavensmere Homes says it has now started work on the 17.5 acre fomer British Steel stie at Qualcast Road, with completion of the first phase of around 150 homes expected in early 2027.

The news comes following confirmation of a £20m loan to enable the development from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), announced by regional mayor Richard Parker last week. A total of 131 of the planned 533 homes were sold to a private real estate firm for future rental schemes earlier this month.

The former British Steel regional distribution and stockholding centre has lain derelict for around 15-years, and was purchased by Wolverhampton City Council following the collapse of British Steel in 2019. Planning permission was granted for the scheme, known as Canalside South, in 2023.

“Having received confirmation of £20m of development funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Frontier Development Capital only last week, we are thrilled to be demonstrating our focus on deliverability by starting work at Canalside South immediately," said James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes.

"With Wavensmere’s proud history of regenerating vacant land in the Black Country, we have mobilised our local and regional supply chain and will transform this current eyesore into a landmark development we can all be immensely proud of.”

Phase one will comprise 153 contemporary two- and three-bedroom houses, with completion scheduled for early 2027. Access to the first two phases will be provided via Qualcast Road, which will function as the primary Spine Road, seamlessly connecting all secondary routes within the development. 

Phase three will be accessed via Bailey Street and fully integrated into the wider road network, ensuring efficient traffic flow throughout the site and surrounding areas.

The full regeneration and build programme is projected to complete by the end of 2031.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Wolverhampton desperately needs more homes and getting spades in the ground on Canalside South is part of the solution to that. It's also why I have invested £20m into the scheme.

"But it's more than just bricks and mortar, it's about creating a thriving new community and shaping a bright future for the city. And it will provide more than a hundred affordable homes for local people, a key priority for me in tackling the region's housing crisis."

Wolverhampton City Council says the overall vision for the Wolverhampton Canalside masterplan is the delivery of around 1,000 homes to meet both the city and wider region’s housing needs.

Cllr Stephen Simkins, Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Seeing this impressive scheme get on site is monumental and shows the game-changing regeneration the council and its partners are delivering in Wolverhampton. As part of our brownfield first strategy, bringing life back to the redundant sites along our canal network is critical to boosting footfall into our city centre and building communities. 

“The decision to put our faith in Wavensmere Homes has paid off with one of the largest new housing developments in the Midlands and the hundreds of jobs for local people that come with it. Ultimately, this £150m development will enable Wolverhampton residents to benefit from superb connectivity, amenities, and health and wellbeing opportunities at this wonderful heritage location.”