Major Bilston Market regeneration plans given the go ahead
Plans to redevelop Bilston outdoor market have been given the go-ahead.
The plans were lodged with Wolverhampton Council in November and have now been given the green light.
The new-look market will be connected to extensive public space improvements and Bilston’s public transport hub.
The plans include the enhancement of the entrance off the Black Country Route, reorganisation and refurbishment of the indoor and outdoor markets, the introduction of new retail units and public toilets, the provision of a flexible space where events can be hosted, and a taller canopy to cover the stalls in the outdoor market.
Funding of £5.2 million from the Towns Fund will support the market redevelopment, which is also part of the transformative Bilston Health & Regeneration Programme (HaRP).
Public feedback on initial proposals in July last year helped shape the final design.
A planning statement, submitted with the planning application, said: "Bilston High Street, an important local retail and community hub servicing a population of 12,000 with 30,000 within easy reach of the town, is one of the key regeneration areas in Wolverhampton and the sub region.
"Bilston is an area in which existing investment can be maximised to catalyse further economic transformation.
"The town has benefited from initiatives including Bilston Urban Village (500 new homes, leisure centre, two new schools, 150,000 sq ft of employment space and extensive open space) and improvements such as the pedestrianisation of Church Street/High Street.
"However there remain areas where rundown buildings and sites detract from the attractiveness of the town centre and others where the prospect of decline could detract in the foreseeable future.
"Therefore, there remains a need to enhance the economic vitality of the main retail and commercial centre by improvements to key anchors such as the market, changing the perception of environment and image and improving linkages between the high street and market with the supermarket, health and wellbeing hub and Bilston Urban Village.
"The external perception of the town is poor, and action is needed to attract visitors who may otherwise pass by."
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