Express & Star

Warehouses and 139 space car park plan for land next to i54 resurfaces

Plans to build warehouses on former playing fields next door to i54 have resurfaced after seven years.

Published

Outline planning permission was granted for industrial development on the cricket ground and sports field belonging to IMI in Wobaston Road in 2010, but the scheme never got off the ground.

This week plans were submitted to build two huge warehouses with additional office space and 139 car parking spaces.

The latest application has been put forward by Maizelands Limited and Arringford Limited and it will be up to Wolverhampton council whether to approve the scheme.

Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership board member, Ninder Johal, said the proposed warehouses would be a good addition to the area around the i54 Enterprise Zone.

He added: "This recent new summarises where the region is heading.

"The i54 has been the most successful enterprise zone in the country and it just shows if enough thought and money is put into such developments then you will reap the benefits in terms of jobs and wealth creation.

"We need to continue as a region to develop brownfield sites and other unused sites to replicate the success of i54."

The proposal site was previously a private sports ground providing two senior football pitches, a bowling green, tennis courts, a cricket wicket and a pavilion building.

A document supporting the planning application, states: "The site has been out of use as a sports ground for many years now.

"In addition, the up-to-date Wolverhampton Playing Pitch Assessment and Strategy, adopted by the council in January 2016, concludes there will be no pitch shortfalls in the North Analysis area, where the proposal site is located, following completion of a new multi-pitch site at Barnhurst Lane.

"The Barnhurst Lane site lies within a short distance of the site and is substantially complete.

"Taking this into account, the council and Sport England have agreed in principle that £75,000 would be an appropriate compensatory payment for loss of playing fields at the proposal site, this sum to be secured before commencement of development."

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