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Wolverhampton's Peel Centre retail park to get fresh lease of life and create 88 new jobs

A decaying retail park on one of Wolverhampton's busiest gateways will be given a new lease of life after plans to remodel the site were approved.

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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 plans for the Stafford Street site, including to reoccupy the empty units – creating 88 jobs – have been approved by Wolverhampton council.

The approval means that major home store Home Bargains will fit its unit in October before opening to customers later this year.

"The remaining units on the site are still up for sale, with at least one buyer in the pipeline.

Site owners The Peel Group had been considering how to redevelop the site after plans for a £20 million supermarket fell through after the 2011 blaze.

Roger Wheeldon, director of development at Peel Holdings said: "The council have now approved our two applications to change the goods that can be sold from the retail park.

"I can confirm that Home Bargains, who have contracted to buy the ex-Focus and United Carpet unit, will be taking possession of that unit in October to start their alterations and fit out to open later in the year.

"The remainder of the park is on the market for sale at the moment, we had a buyer but they have for the moment decided not to proceed so we continue to market it with the benefit of the new planning consent."

The Manchester-based owners confirmed earlier this year that they were also in discussions 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.

Councillor John Reynolds, the council's cabinet member for city economy said: "It will be great to see this site on the Stafford Road brought back into use.

"Hopefully the presence of a major company like Home Bargains will attract strong interest from other businesses for the remaining units. It is another example of the £3.7 billion of investment currently on site or in the pipeline across the city as part of regeneration plans.

"It will also provide a number of job opportunity for the people of Wolverhampton, which is good news for everyone."

Furniture Warehouse was completely destroyed in the 2011 fire started by arsonists.

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