Building of 24 new homes on former Wolverhampton play site to start in summer
The building of 24 new council homes on the site of a former adventure playground in Wolverhampton will begin next summer, housing bosses have announced.
Located on a stretch of land at the rear of Old Fallings Crescent, in Low Hill, the development will be a mix of detached and semi-detached houses, bungalows and flats to rent. The site, which also borders Fallings Park, was previously occupied by Peach Tree adventure playground and disused garages.
Two semi-detached council homes in the circular road – numbers 149 and 151 – will be demolished to make way for the new properties. The 0.95 hectare site, which will have two access points, is surrounded by a combination of terraces and semi-detached houses.
The two, four and five-bedroom homes have been designed by Birmingham-based BM3 Architects, with the majority to be built to wheelchair standard and all to have a high energy efficiency rating, electric vehicle charging points and solar panels. The development will also provide 52 parking spaces.
Councillor Steve Evans, Wolverhampton Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “This development helps address the local area’s housing needs by providing a variety of council homes that will enhance the surrounding neighbourhood and foster a vibrant and inclusive community.
“A lot of credit must go to our housing officers for working in consultation with existing residents to develop such a strong scheme. I very much look forward to seeing spades in the ground in the summer and these well-designed homes, near to open spaces and community facilities, welcoming tenants from as early as 2025.”
Following the appointment of a contractor, it is hoped construction of the first phase homes will be completed within a year of works starting, with the remainder finished by autumn 2025.
A statement from Mr Bilal Rashid of BM3 added: “This variety of housing will enhance the surrounding neighbourhood and foster a vibrant and inclusive community. The vertical emphasis in the design of the homes draws inspiration from the post-war architectural style which is prevalent in the surrounding area.
“By incorporating prominent facade features, vertical windows and articulated building forms, the designs pay tribute to the locality’s architectural heritage while incorporating contemporary elements. Wolverhampton city centre is approximately 1.8 miles away and Showell Circus, Low Hill and Raynor Road have a good selection of shops within a five-minute walk.
“The site is also near to a number of open spaces, the closest being Fallings Park. Other parks and gardens within a ten-minute walk include Low Hill recreation ground and Humphries Road recreation ground. There is also good access to places of worship and community centres,” he said.
Wolverhampton Council purchased the Old Fallings and Low Hill estates for development after the the First World War. These were developed into large housing estates between 1924 and 1927. By 1927, over 2,000 dwellings had been built on both estates, making them some of the largest in the country.
