Plans to demolish historic Wolverhampton hotel for Lidl submitted

A supermarket chain is re-seeking permission to demolish an historic but empty Wolverhampton hotel to make way for a new store.

Lidl has re-submitted an application to City of Wolverhampton Council to demolish the former Goldthorn Hotel, later known as the Quality Hotel, in Penn Road, Wolverhampton after the planning permission it received in 2023 expired earlier this year.

In April, the supermarket chain said it had faced delays after running into problems buying the land after receiving planning permission. 

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The controversial plans were narrowly approved by the authority’s planning committee more than three years ago but permission to carry out the work ran out after failing to get off the ground.

The new supermarket was eventually approved in January 2023 after receiving the approval of councillors eight months earlier.

City of Wolverhampton Council’s planners had supported the new supermarket saying it would create “significant investment and new jobs” when recommending ahead of the meeting it should be given the green light.

“Whilst there would be some impact on visual amenity and the loss of a heritage asset, the proposals would result in a good quality scheme which would not result in any highway concerns and are therefore considered appropriate,” officers said.

The proposals attracted 73 objections, and 105-signature petition, as well as a formal objection from the Victorian Society. 

The charity said the hotel was “one of the last references to the historic streetcape” in that area of Wolverhampton.

The many objectors bemoaned the potential loss of one of an historic city building and said the new supermarket was being built next to an accident black spot.

The proposed 2,000 square metre supermarket, which Lidl says will bring 40 full-time jobs, would be built alongside a 93-bay car park.

The historic Penn Road hotel was built as home in the late 19th century for John Rollings, director of Star Cycles, Cars and Commercial Vehicles, a firm which played an important part in Wolverhampton’s early motor industry.

The council’s conservation officers said the loss of the non-listed building was “regrettable” but nevertheless supported the work in 2022.

The council’s planners added in their judgement: “The main building on the site, which forms part of the hotel, has some merit as a building of historic and architectural interest – built in the late 1800s – and is located in a significant location along a main route into the city centre. 

“Extensions and additions have somewhat subsumed the main building and much of its architectural character has been harmed or lost.”