It is one of the Black Country’s most loved historic gems – and these images today reveal how the grand facade of the Royal Hospital will remain for generations to come.

Tesco has unveiled its vision for the landmark site, showing its recognisable facade and historic charm will be retained as it starts a new era as a superstore.

A striking glass entrance lobby will bring old and new together, at the landmark off Bilston Road in All Saints. The modern feature will fill the entrance of the 140,000sq ft shop with natural light.

It will give customers views of the historic listed building, while a pedestrian concourse, lined with trees and bushes, will be installed.

Tesco wants to create a new supermarket at the Grade II-listed main hospital building, which has been left derelict for around two years.

Buildings left to crumble after the hospital closed in 1997 were demolished in 2008, while historic features including stone plaques in the hospital’s operating theatres, decorative ceiling panels and timber window shutters, were removed.

The main hospital building had been earmarked for transformation into a new home for Wolverhampton’s Primary Care Trust, as well as homes and leisure facilities, but the plan fell through after the Government announced PCTs would be scrapped.

Instead, Tesco revived its original plans to bring the main hospital building back to life with a superstore.

Other parts of the site will also be developed, with homes built along Gordon Street and a shop and office block erected at the corner of Bilston Road and Ring Road St George’s. The development, shown from above, would see multi-storey housing blocks installed at the rear of the converted hospital building. The scheme will create more than 600 jobs.

The development is set to mark the end of a 10-year wrangle with rival Sainsbury’s over the creation of a supermarket on separate land in Raglan Street.

Tesco has indicated it will give up its 10 per cent share of Raglan Street to its rival, if the Royal Hospital plans are approved.