Wolverhampton's £50m Westside development plans gathering pace
Regeneration bosses in Wolverhampton say they expect full plans for the £50 million Westside development to be submitted soon.
The scheme, which will transform part of the city centre, has been signed off by the city council’s cabinet, with a planning application the next stage of the process.
A cinema, trampoline centre, mini golf and 10-pin bowling venue and restaurants will all form part of the delayed Westside development aimed at changing the face of the city centre and boosting the leisure and entertainment offer.
Council chiefs said they were “continuing to finalise legal agreements” with developer Urban & Civic, who would then work towards submitting detailed plans and confirm agreements with the as yet unnamed major cinema chain.
Although many of the remaining obstacles are expected to be formalities now the scheme has been signed off by the cabinet it does mean the start of the work could still be some way off yet.
Construction on the project, which covers land between Penn Road Island and Salop Street, had been due to start last summer but was put back due to concerns over investment.
The scheme is scheduled for completion in mid-2021.
A new report to cabinet said: “Cabinet approval for the Westside scheme was obtained in February 2019 towards the revised delivery structure for the £50 million scheme, work is continuing to finalise legal agreements with Urban&Civic (U&C).
"Once finalised, U&C will progress detailed planning and finalise the agreements with the cinema anchor, ancillary leisure and car park operator.”
The project was given a much-needed kick-start earlier this year when it was revealed developers had secured £50m in funding.
Former mayor Milkinder Jaspal said: “It has been a long wait and I am desperate to see the first brick being put in.”
