New homes planned for Wolverhampton's 25-year empty eyesore
New homes are set to be built on an eyesore patch of land in Wolverhampton next to a retail park after lying empty for more than 25 years.
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The land in Rookery Street, Wednesfield, has been earmarked for housing and new shops since the Bentley Bridge Retail Park was built in the late 1990s, but despite several plans coming and going, the land has remained empty.
But now City of Wolverhampton Council has backed the latest plans for the land after signing off on a new planning application by Onkar Singh Mattu to build eight new two-bed homes.
This decision comes after the local authority approved plans to build 20 flats on the site in October last year – which have now been deemed “unviable.”
A report by the local authority’s planners outlining the decision said the “modern, attractive, high-quality homes” would help with the regeneration of Wednesfield.
“This site benefits from a previous, but unimplemented planning permission for a residential apartment development,” the council said.
“The proposed homes are modern, attractive and of a high-quality design, including satisfactory car and cycle parking facilities, bin stores and private amenity space for residents.
“The site is sustainably located, close-by to services and facilities within Wednesfield village centre and has good access to public transport.
“The proposed development would not interfere unduly with the proposed highway improvement line.
“The redevelopment of this prominent, vacant and disused site will assist with the regeneration of Wednesfield and provide good quality homes for people.”
The site has had a long planning history despite remaining empty for the last 25 years.
Wolverhampton Council first approved plans for 24 homes and flats in 1999, that was followed by another approval for seven shops and 19 flats in 2002 and then a plan for 23 flats was granted permission in 2005.
Another plan for 32 flats was revealed then scrapped in 2007 and that was followed a year later by a plan for 22 flats and a new shop which was also eventually withdrawn.
Plans for 22 flats and a shop were eventually approved in 2010 but never built.
With nothing happening for more than a decade, the council then agreed to a move to build 20 flats on the site last year but that scheme was later scrapped.
