Revealed: Major new plans for Wolverhampton's dilapidated Peel Centre
A dilapidated retail park on one of Wolverhampton's busiest gateways will be handed a new lease of life under ambitious new plans.
The Peel Centre was devastated by a major blaze in 2011 and just one firm, United Carpets and Beds, has continued to trade from there.
But now the owners have unveiled plans to remodel the Stafford Street site and reoccupy the empty units, creating 88 jobs.
Under the proposals, the carpet retailer would be replaced by discount store Home Bargains, which has a deal in place to take ownership of the building.
Supermarket chains Lidl, Aldi and Netto have been identified as ideal tenants for the retail park.
Site owners The Peel Group have been considering how to redevelop the site after plans for a £20 million supermarket fell through after the blaze.
Roger Wheeldon, director of development at Peel, said: "Our agreement with Home Bargains will see the full refurbishment of the ex-Focus unit and its reoccupation by this successful national retailer in a large unit selling a wide range of food and none food products.
"It will create many new jobs and is a great first stage of the redevelopment of this prominent retail park.
"We hope to announce plans for the rest of the retail park and our other vacant properties on Stafford Street shortly."
Peel's deal with Home Bargains will see the retailer refurbish the entire unit once occupied by DIY chain Focus. It depends on Wolverhampton council relaxing restrictions on what can be sold from the site, for which a planning application has been submitted.
If it goes ahead, Peel expect Home Bargains to be open to customers by late spring.
The Manchester-based owners also confirmed they are in discussion with 'another party' wanting to buy space on the retail park and for it to be occupied by a supermarket. There are currently no plans for the unit formerly occupied by JJB Sports.
United Carpets and Beds confirmed it had been asked to vacate the site by April 8 but was hoping to relocate within the city.
Franchisee Norrie Mackie, said: "We're on the lookout for a great new venue, and we think we have spotted the right place."
Furniture Warehouse was completely destroyed in the 2011 firestarted by arsonists.
