A long-awaited link between Wednesfield Park and the village High Street looks set to come to fruition after plans were unveiled for a £600,000 footbridge over the Wyrley and Essington Canal.
For years the canal has been a physical boundary between the green open space and the High Street. But it is hoped the plans for the new bridge and an approach ramp providing a direct route from the village to the park will encourage scores more to make use of the beauty spot.
The proposals, which have been put together by British Waterways, are part of a wider £2 million project also involving the city council which is aimed at improving Wednesfield Park and the adjacent King George V playing fields.
A range of improvements have already been carried out, including the development of a network of paths around the park and playing fields, the replacement of perimeter fencing and gates and work to cut back or remove overgrown shrubs and trees to open up views.
Work on a new skate plaza and improvements to the existing children’s play area will begin in the next few weeks after planning permission was granted last month. That work is due to be completed by the end of August.
John Pugh, Wolverhampton City Council’s head of parks and contracts, said: “We are delighted that we have been granted planning permission to develop the skate park and make these improvements to the play area, which we hope will make Wednesfield Park even more popular.”
Plans are also in the pipeline to demolish and rebuild the changing rooms at the playing fields.
The proposed changing rooms are to Sport England standard and will incorporate many environmental features such as a green roof and more efficient heating and lighting.
The new footbridge will replace one knocked down in the 1950s and has been a proposal in Wolverhampton’s unitary development plan, which spells out how the city will develop, for several years.
The footbridge proposal is expected to be determined in May and if approved, cash will be provided through the European Regional Development Fund.
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5 Comments
havent they done enough pointless roadworks in wednesfield?
just look at the state of it now at the end of the high street? was it really necessary to extent the footpath access to the temple?
id like to have the need for that explained to me.
and another thing, the high street itself. when the increased pavement for market traders and incidentally decreased the road for buses and public transport. what braniac though that would be a good idea?
i mean have you been on the buse’s when the high street traders have their vans and other delivery trucks.
it causes early morning chaos and always makes hard workers late and getting home.
wednesfield used to be such a simple village. why cane it be left that way?
Howdy al,l Ian i have been doing a lot of research into what has been going on with the high street. it seams a shame to me that the temple is where it is as very exposed when the new library and metro station will be built across the road from it. main reason for all the road works is to link the new bentley bridge shopping center with bigger footpaths and crossings and a new arear outside sainsburys with seating and waterfall and trees. all of the plans are on the wolverhampton councils website if i can find them later i shall post them on here.
yup i agree wednesfield was a nice little friendly town but times change prices go up businesses come and go, but thats progress aint it.hopefully it will be nice in the end.
£600,000 for a foot bridge over a canal ? I’ll put it in for £200,000 and still make £199,000 profit. Puddin bag had 3 bridges over its canals at a total cost of £30 in todays money.
quite some interesting research you dont there frosty.
moving with the times as it would appear, and i’m all for that. i just thing theyre were other alternatives than making the bus lanes shorter and more conjested and giving the newly refurbished temple yet more breathing room.
and as for the bentley bridge shopping precinct, people have to see that as a joke. i mean they’re still at least 8 “stores” that are completely bare and empty and just gathering cobwebs.
quite an eyesore really.
and a shame
yup that bentley bridge never seamed to have took off as expected. could do with a wh smiths and a maplins and better hide the temple again. its looking very exsposed now