Demolition of Willenhall’s Locksmith’s Quarter to start ‘at the end of October’
Walsall Council has promised that demolition work in Willenhall will commence in a matter of weeks.
Deputy leader Councillor Adrian Andrew said works will start ‘at the end of October, early November’, while delivering an update of the ‘borough’s transformation’ on Monday night.
Several derelict buildings around Moat Street, Villiers Street, New Hall Street, Stafford Street and Temple Bar are all set for demolition as part of the Willenhall Masterplan.
The council hopes to build 107 homes on the 21,000 square metre site with developer Keepmoat, and was granted outline planning permission in June 2024.
In November last year, the authority was awarded compulsory purchase powers, meaning it could purchase the land without any landowner’s consent.
At the time, Councillor Andrew vowed that demolition works would start in January 2025.
But Freedom of Information figures in June revealed that nearly £1.7million had been spent on the scheme already, as buildings remained standing.
Residents in the area speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that fires in the vacant buildings were ‘twice weekly’ occurrences.
In response, the council deployed 24-hour security staff to tackle the antisocial behaviour.
The area, just outside Willenhall town centre was described as the ‘Locksmith’s Quarter’ by Councillor Andrew on Monday night.
He said: “The Locksmith’s Quarter in Willenhall is moving forward at pace and demolitions will start at the end of October and early November.
“That has been a flagship for this council in terms of tackling derelict sites, and we will continue to take that firm action.
“We were of course pleased to receive £20m from the previous government in order to push that forward in Willenhall.”
Ralph Jackson, former locksmith and vice chairman of the Willenhall History Society (WHS), said the area was once a ’hive of activity’ with lockmakers.
The WHS hopes to carry out an archaeological dig on Moat Street, believing the remains of an estate belonging to one of Willenhall’s oldest families, the Leveson’s, lies beneath the surface.
The council said Keepmoat is bound by a condition to carry out an archaeological investigation, and local groups would be informed of any timescales.
