It will be discussed by the council’s Cabinet tomorrow (Wednesday) as part of proposals to deliver development plans for a Wolverhampton City Centre West quarter.
ECF is a partnership between Muse, Legal and General and Homes England, which has worked jointly to bring forward transformational regeneration projects across the country – securing significant investment through their engagement and expertise.
City Centre West, which includes the former Westside development area, features in the Wolverhampton Investment Prospectus, and the Wolverhampton City Centre Local Plan Area Action Plan identifies the site as the largest development and regeneration opportunity in the city centre.
Subject to heads of terms being agreed, the council and ECF will work to develop a strategic brief for the first phase of the scheme, the exact location of which is still to be finalised.
The initial proposals will inform an outline planning application together with a detailed phase one planning application, and a full business case will be considered at a future Cabinet meeting.
The further transformation of the west side of the city centre into a City Centre West quarter could ultimately see the development of around 1,000 new homes and an improved leisure, food and beverage, and retail offer, connected by high quality public spaces.
Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “The Wolverhampton Investment Prospectus presents an ambitious vision of how the city can grow – highlighting opportunities to build on the levels of public and private sector investment already on site or in the pipeline in Wolverhampton.
“Agreeing a partnership with English Cities Fund has the potential to attract significant investment and create new jobs across Wolverhampton - and it is important that we capitalise on the city’s pathfinder status referenced in the Government’s February 2022 Levelling Up White Paper, with the opportunities for investment that presents.
“A City Centre West scheme can provide a wide range of benefits with the introduction of new housing, new jobs, and opportunities as well as the social and economic benefits in linking the city back into the surrounding suburbs at precision and pace.”
