Heath Town estate’s regeneration has taken a step forward with pre-demolition enabling works starting on site – while the process of appointing a developer will begin this summer. City of Wolverhampton Council has developed a Masterplan to transform the estate. It will bring new housing, refurbished homes, and improved leisure space. Work involves demolishing some buildings to make way for new development.
Phase one of the enabling works is taking place on Hobgate Road and is expected to be completed by September, with demolition of walkways and garages anticipated to start by the end of this year. Phase two focuses on Chervil Rise and enabling works on this part of the estate are anticipated to start spring 2017 with demolition scheduled to commence towards the end of 2017. The demolition will comprise 36 maisonettes, the shopping precinct including the housing office, GP surgery and community centre. Also included are garages, the underground car park and disused gym.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Assets, said: “The Heath Town regeneration project will transform the area over the next few years. “We are clearing the way for demolition works and the appointment of a developer will follow shortly – there has been positive initial interest from a number of respected developers.
“The community deserves a modern, open and better quality place to live. We appreciate that this won’t happen overnight but people will start to see progress very soon. The scheme is part of our wider plans to reinvigorate and regenerate our city and we are keeping residents fully informed of the changes via regular newsletters.”
Phase one of the enabling works involves disconnecting and re-routing of the District Heating Pipework, asbestos surveys in preparation of the diversionary and planned demolition activity, renewal of the existing Braithwaite Tank (a water storage tank required for fire-fighting in the 21-23 storey tower blocks) and remedial work to the brick structure it is housed in, after the adjacent garage is demolished.
Phase two of the enabling works will see the diversion of district heating to avoid the demolition area on Chervil Rise and the proposed areas of new housing; separation of electrical supplies to the adjacent deck-access blocks (the supplies are currently shared with parts of the shopping precinct), and the diversion of CCTV cabling to avoid the demolition/development areas.
Elsewhere on the estate, work will begin this month (July) on refurbishing the ground and lower ground floors of Ling House to provide new office space for the Hope Family Centre. This work is due to be completed later this year and Hope is expected to move to its new premises before Christmas.
