Government Office not to intervene on £30 million Willenhall regeneration scheme

Government Office not to intervene on £30 million Willenhall regeneration scheme

29 August 2007

Government office have confirmed that they will not intervene and will allow Walsall MBC to grant planning permission for the £30 Million Willenhall regeneration scheme submitted by developers, Dransfield Properties and Gallagher Estates

Walsall Councillors gave their approval of the plans in June this year, but in line with all retail developments of this size, the application had to be referred to Government Office. Government Office has now decided that the application does not relate to matters of more than a local importance and that the application can be decided by Walsall MBC.

Following this decision, Walsall MBC can now grant planning permission once the developers have signed a section 106 planning agreement.

The development site includes a former Yale/Union works factory on Wood Street and the Clemson Street car park and the scheme will transform the 14 acre brownfield site into a 75,000 sq ft foodstore with a 542 space town centre car park as well as housing which will incorporate a mixture of family homes and apartments.

A new link road will be constructed between Wood Street and Walsall Street to ease traffic flows through the town and encourage linked shopping trips, as well as public realm features strategically placed within the scheme to enhance the area.

The scheme is designed to recapture trade and increase the vitality of the area.  Willenhall is the only town in the Black Country which lacks a major supermarket and research shows that less than 30 per cent of convenience spending (food shopping) is retained in the catchment.  The figure is even higher for comparison spending (non food) with a staggering 94 per cent of the catchment’s expenditure leaving the town.

Andrew Malley, retail property director for Dransfield Properties said:

“We are very grateful for Government Office’s prompt decision to the Willenhall Regeneration scheme. It is apparent that Government Office share the same aspirations of Walsall MBC, local stakeholders and the people of Willenhall by allowing this regeneration scheme to move forward to the next step without the intervention of a public enquiry. “

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk