Express & Star

Wolverhampton's Peel Centre revamp set for March completion

Work at a retail park which is being transformed following a severe arson attack six years ago is expected to be completed by March next year.

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Site Manager Dominic Hayhurst, right, and Contracts Manager, Mike Castree

Manchester-based J Mills is one of several contractors currently working at The Peel Centre off Stafford Street, Wolverhampton.

Buildings at the site were ripped apart by a deliberately-started blaze in 2011.

Much of the retail park has remained disused since, but it was revealed last week The Food Warehouse, part of the Iceland Food Group, is to open across two of the former units.

A JD Gym will occupy the former JJB Sports shop while Home Bargains opened earlier this year at the opposite end of the site.

Site Manager Dominic Hayhurst has told the Express & Star the new units should be completed by February or March next year.

Work is ongoing at The Peel Centre

He added: "Work is going very well and to programme. All the demolition has now been completed, the internals have been re-cladded, a new roof is on and new shop fronts have been installed.

"We are now working on the fit-out part of the contract."

A Furniture Warehouse store was completely destroyed in the 2011 fire and JJB Sports was also damaged.

Only United Carpets and Beds continued to trade from there in the aftermath.

The site had been owned by Peel Holdings but the firm’s Director of Development, Roger Wheeldon, told the Express & Star this week that they have now sold all the land.

The Food Warehouse will be the biggest of its kind in the country and bring 40 new jobs to the city.