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Official Black Country Development Thread 2

193K views 964 replies 46 participants last post by  DBadger 
#1 ·
... where we left off....
 
#253 ·
Well, whilst the staff have my sympathies, WHSmith the chain do not, having displayed a complete lack of understanding in what customers want ie. to not be ripped off. I do not mind paying a little bit extra here or there for certain products but they take the piss. As I have mentioned elsehwere, their prices for stuff liek Coke and chocolate and crisps ios vastly higher than anywhere else (the new New Street branch is tryign to charge £1.99 for a 500ml bottle of coke! even in the offer of 2 for £3 its still more expensive than the Boots 20 feet away). They always have a minimal staff level so you have to queue for ages to purchase your overpriced beverage and other goods. Whilst its another sad sory in the demise of Wolverhampton centre, the loss of WHSmith in isolation is not one I can force myself to care about.
 
#259 ·
I live in Perton, and this renovation was finished on Thursday last week; the store was only closed for 10 days in all, so it was a successful refit, if you ask me.

Pleased with the result, seems massive inside now in comparison to what it was. Removing the old "internal" entrance/exit and replacing it with a new external area, has really given them a lot more space.


More intersting what they're doing at the Wednesfield Sainsbury's, though. Looks like they're adding an entire second floor to the place! Looks like it's going to be absolutely massive.
 
#258 ·
I probably seem obsessed with this row of shops, can't help it, it's opposite my busstop.

I mentioned earlier The Standard and The Viceroy, two balti/tandoori restaurants on Cleveland street.

The Viceroy has been seized by the landlord; but The Standard which I thought was being refitted is actually going to be X-Catalogue Kings, formerly located in the Wulfrun Centre.
 
#260 ·
:eek:hno:

Call for fire-hit listed building to be saved

A leading conservation group is calling for an historic listed building, wrecked by fire, to be saved from demolition.

The Victorian Society has written to transport authority Centro about its plans to pull down the Old Steam Mill, on Corn Hill, Wolverhampton.

The building is set to make way for the extension to the Midlands Metro through Wolverhampton City Centre.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/call-fire-hit-listed-building-wolverhampton-4028518
 
#262 ·
Here are the (old) plans for the Wobaston Road dual carriageway which is now going ahead: http://www2.wolverhampton.gov.uk/transport_streets/transportation_bids/wobaston_road_corridor.htm

It really would revolutionise road transport around here, the Wobaston Road is dreadful. I'm often caught stuck on a bus waiting to turn for minutes on end as nobody lets people turn, on top of the huge queues that rack up at certain times of day.

The latter one shows how the new Vine Island will work.
 
#263 ·
Get started on £65 million new Wolverhampton store, chief tells Sainsbury’s

A desperate plea has been issued to Sainsbury’s to start work on its £65 million Wolverhampton city centre store.

The company had been hoping to reveal earlier this year when it would start work on the development in Raglan Street.

But the decision has been repeatedly delayed because the programme of works for the project has yet to be finalised.

Regeneration boss Councillor Peter Bilson said: “All possible barriers to it have been removed, and there is nothing to stop them going on to the site now. I have even signed off all the necessary regulations for the stopping of roads to allow the work to proceed.

“We are just waiting for them to start but they have not given us a date.” Councillor Bilson added: “Whether the delay is as a result of the current economic situation I cannot say, but I am not overly concerned by this.

“However, I would send this clear and simple message to the company: ‘Please come and start as soon as possible because we need you.’ This is a key part of the regeneration of the city, and we are as keen as everybody else for it to get under way.”

David Crocker, secretary of the Graiseley tenants and residents association, said: “We have been waiting for 15 years for this development, and the place is an eyesore at the moment. It will be a godsend for the people of this area when the project is completed.

“Work cannot start soon enough as far as we are concerned because it will be a great boost for the area.”

Sainsbury’s spokeswoman Joyce Yip said: “We are still programming our construction works schedule and will update the local community when we have confirmed our start date. We would like to reassure residents that we are committed to building our new store on Raglan Street.”

The site, off the ring road, used to house the former Lord Raglan pub. Preparation work to get the land ready for construction took place late last year.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/...w-wolverhampton-store-chief-tells-sainsburys/
 
#264 ·
I hope these two supermarkets have giant free car parks - providing good park n walk access to the city. It's what we always used to do as kids with Waitrose (Safeway) but that's a bit of a stretch. Certainly they better not be supermarket-only-2-hours-or-less car parks, in the location they're in. Sainsbury's at least will be very well connected to the city, with a giant pedestrian crossing right into the markets.
 
#271 ·
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/06/14/new-vision-for-wolverhampton-is-unveiled/

A new vision for Wolverhampton was unveiled today – complete with cinema, more restaurants and a night market – to transform its fortunes.

Tim Johnson has taken over the role as the most senior council officer in charge of Wolverhampton’s regeneration, and today outlined his plans which he hopes will bring people back into Wolverhampton and keep them spending money there for longer.

Among his plans is a night market, similar to one introduced in neighbouring Walsall, where he previously did a similar job.

In an interview with the Express & Star, Mr Johnson said he was committed to new schemes that would complement what was already in Wolverhampton as he tries to move the city on from the aftermath left behind by the abandoned £300 million Summer Row shopping centre scheme.

The 46-year-old had overseen regeneration in Walsall for nine years and took over the role in Wolverhampton at the end of May. It had previously been carried out by £785-a-day interim director Charles Green, who has now retired.

Summer Row was scrapped at the start of 2011, shortly before the last permanent regeneration director Steve Boyes left in a round of redundancies that saw around a dozen of the highest-earning council staff axed.

Mr Johnson is now tasked with delivering results after the council launched a prospectus for developers, outlining where it saw the opportunities for new offices, hotels and restaurants.

The council is trying to re-invigorate the area that would have become the Summer Row shopping centre – bordered by Worcester Street, Cleveland Street, Temple Street and Snow Hill – by offering grants to businesses to stay put, rather than trying to buy them out and demolish their premises.

Twenty one businesses have had a share of the council’s £400,000 business grant scheme for the area. Around 25 properties have been acquired by the council in what it now calls Southside with a view to either refurbishing and reletting them or demolishing them where they pose an eyesore.

For the first time in many years, the council-owned Cleveland Street parade is currently fully let with five new businesses joining existing ones. The upper floors of Burdett House have been let to the All Nations Christian Centre and the former Beach Nightclub to Casino 36.

Mr Johnson said: “We want to make it as risk-free for new businesses to be here as possible. A key part of regeneration is going to be independent businesses.

“Almost everywhere has a Marks & Spencer or other chain stores, and while they are very important, we need to give people more reasons to come here.

“What we need is a much broader offer in terms of entertainment and dining out.

“We have clear gaps in terms of what’s here, such as a cinema and more eating and drinking places. Another possibility is a night-time market, similar to that set up in Walsall. ,” Mr Johnson added.

He said the council was in discussions with developers about the prospect of a cinema. He also said he was confident plans for Sainsbury’s and Tesco to build their long-awaited supermarkets at Raglan Street and the Royal Hospital would go ahead.

Councillor Peter Bilson, deputy leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said the authority had now done everything in its power to clear the way for the Raglan Street site where Sainsbury’s is building a multi-million pound superstore.

:)
 
#276 ·
Talking of the Mander Centre refurbishment. Have any of you seen this:



Found it the other day when researching any possible refurbishment.

http://www.pdcmltd.com/projects/project_detail/73

Sector: Mixed Use & Retail
Services: End to End Project Management
Completed: Due 2015
Value: £13m
Client: Delancey PLC
Architect: Colman Architects
Main Contractor: TBC Project description

pdcm have been appointed as project managers for Delancey’s extension and refurbishment of the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton.

The project involves the creation of new retail units and an anchor store.

pdcm are leading the team through the early stages of the design and planning to ensure the client has a robust understanding of the programme and costs. We are also managing the programming and logistics planning for this complex project which will be carried out within a live retail environment.

The project is due for completion in 2015.

Hope this actually happens. The Mander centre really needs this. And it now possible confirms Debenhams are coming eventually and where they plan to put it....
 
#277 ·
Looking good, but will £13m be enough to do all of this refurb, move the lifts, move the escalators, create Debenhams, etc?

I hope that Home Living stay in the city and become an anchor store for something else. Maybe if M&S did move to a larger store they could take half of that, with something like H&M in the other half.
 
#279 ·
Revamped Wolverhampton Mander Centre to rival Bull Ring and Merry Hill

Bosses at Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre today insisted a multi-million-pound revamp would see the city compete with the Bull Ring and Merry Hill – as they revealed detailed plans will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The centre was boosted by the announcement last week that WH Smith had done a U-turn over the closure of its flagship store.

But shoppers have become concerned that big names are no longer interested in the city.

Steve Burgin, director of retail asset management for Mander Centre owners Delancey, today said proposals to extend the centre and attract new businesses were moving forward, and an announcement would be made in the next two months. Bosses want to merge shops and create bigger units in order to attract big-name stores to the city.

Mr Burgin said the plans revolved around a ‘major anchor’ at the centre, which it is hoped would be taken over by a large chain.

The plans are intended to tie in with the £5m revamp of the city centre that will see some roads made one way and areas including Princess Street pedestrianised in a bid to make the city centre more attractive for investors.

Chains including TK Maxx, Dorothy Perkins and Oasis have all closed shops in recent years.

Mr Burgin said: “The challenges affecting Wolverhampton are affecting every town centre in the country. The out-of-town shopping centres like Birmingham’s Bull Ring and Merry Hill have received investment and they have retailers all in one place that have the space to showcase their product ranges – that is what we want in Wolverhampton.”

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/...der-centre-to-rival-bull-ring-and-merry-hill/
 
#280 ·
#282 ·
I'm not sure how old this is, but I hadn't seen it before. "Treetops", business park at J2 of the M54 (currently a trailer park).

http://www.tweedale.co.uk/tree.htm



"Situated opposite junction 2 of the M54 Motorway the proposed 'Treetops' development aspires to define the northern gateway into the city of Wolverhampton.

The scheme consists of approximately 4995m2 of high quality office development in two blocks together with a 63 bedroom hotel and associated car parking."


(Express & Star)
 
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