Going, going, gone! Bell Street shops go in £1bn Wolverhampton transformation
A large gaping hole has appeared where once a row of shops stood in a busy city centre street.
These pictures show the progress being made to transform a decaying corner of Wolverhampton - in its heyday a thriving parade of independent shops but for the last decade a derelict eyesore.
The site has been screened off but a gap in the barriers show a huge pile of building rubble with a mechanical digger in its midst, removing the debris.
The location is Bell Street, near the Mander Centre car park entrance and opposite the new four-floor Debenhams which is due to open next week.
Wolverhampton Council has tweeted: "Good progress is being made on the demolition of derelict Bell St properties to make the city better connected in the future #regeneration".
The work is part of a £1 billion redevelopment, although it has not yet been decided what will replace the shops.The green light for demolition was given last month after licensed contractors had removed deadly asbestos found at the site.
When cleared, the area will be turned into a temporary car park while a permanent use for the site is found. This is expected to be open by mid-December.
Council leader Roger Lawrence, said the short-term use as parking would generate income, helping to pay for the cost of demolition and regeneration, while its long-term future was decided.
The council-owned site falls within the authority's Southside proposals and will eventually be used as part of that scheme. Possible uses being mooted for the Bell Street land include leisure, retail or residential.
The vacant units, between the Forbidden Planet shop and the entrance to the Mander Centre car park, used to house a furniture shop, an amusement arcade and clothes shop. They were bought by the local authority in April last year.
Plans for that area of the city centre include moving the market from its current home in Market Square to Cleveland Street. It is proposed to make Bell Street, along with Victoria Street and Skinner Street, fully pedestrianised.
The 93,000 sq ft Debenhams is due to open on Thursday next week(12th) as the revamped Mander Centre’s anchor store. The existing market will be replaced with a £55m Westside development scheme to include a 12-screen cinema, restaurants, 100-bed hotel and car park.
Today Councillor John Reynolds, cabinet member for city economy, said: “Southside is looking very different as we re-shape this area of the city.
“The removal of the derelict Bell Street properties will enable us to make the city better connected.
“The new market fronting Cleveland Street will be a real asset and we continue to develop our strategy for the immediate surrounding area.
"There is also a general enthusiasm around the nearby £55 million Westside development, and optimism concerning the groundswell of regeneration activity across the city.
“The outstanding proposals put forward by Urban&Civic perfectly meet our expectations of a regenerated Wolverhampton. It all fits into the £1 billion of investment that is either on site or in the pipeline for the city centre.”
