Wavensmere Homes has received planning approval from City of Wolverhampton Council for its £150m residential-led Canalside South development. The 17.5-acre former industrial site is located within the city centre – moments from the transport interchange – and benefits from frontage onto the Wyrley & Essington Canal and the Wolverhampton Branch of the Birmingham Main Line Canal.
Over 530 high EPC-rated homes, with 20% designated for affordable housing, seven acres of vibrant green space, and a range of commercial amenities will bring about the transformation of the site, which has lain derelict for 15 years. Designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects, the low-rise development plans emulate the surrounding conservation area and maximise the canalside setting. The scheme will also open up a new pedestrian route to the city core, reducing the previous walk time by 20 minutes, and igniting investment into a commercial corridor.
The waterfront development site sits on the eastern edge of the city centre and is made up of the Canal & River Trust-owned former Crane Foundry site, and the Council’s former British Steel site and land off Qualcast Road.
Councillor Stephen Simkins, Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Wavensmere Homes submitted a quality and comprehensive planning application that will deliver for Wolverhampton. This project is fundamental to our brownfield first strategy, driving investment into the Green Innovation Corridor, and it will also fulfil a key objective of our Canalside Delivery Partnership with the Canal & River Trust.
“We can now look forward to work starting on site. Bringing life back to the redundant sites along our canal network is critical to boosting footfall into our city centre. As one of the largest new housing developments in the Midlands, Wavensmere’s £150m investment will enable Wolverhampton residents to benefit from superb connectivity, amenities, and health and wellbeing opportunities at this wonderful heritage location.”
Wavensmere Homes will construct 378 two-and three-bedroom townhouses, designed to target an EPC-A rated specification, together with 145 one-and two-bedroom apartments. A building of 10 co-living units – each containing six bedrooms – will deliver affordable living typologies to young professionals. 54 houses and 80 apartment and co-living bedrooms will benefit from waterside views. The multi-award-winning urban regeneration specialist will also be reanimating the disused railway arches on the site into 1,338sqm (14,400 sq ft) of lettable commercial space.
James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The experience of working with this City Council - and in particular the planning department - has been unprecedented. Wolverhampton is a city that is open for business.
“As a timeline, Wavensmere was announced as the new developer for this nationally significant project last December, and we are now in a position to confirm that we will be starting work at Canalside South before the year is out. This scheme will be a catalyst for a new wave of ambitious city living, which is vital to see the Wolverhampton Pound spent locally.
“It’s the level of proactivity and can-do approach that made this happen, which has been brought about through a shared vision, great people, and the Council’s strong leadership team at the helm. As a result of this positive and efficient experience, we are committed to invest a lot more in the City of Wolverhampton.”
Wavensmere Homes will future-proof the new homes by installing electric only heating systems. A range of technologies will be utilised across the development, consisting of air source heat pumps, solar panels and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR). There will also be EV charging to each house or parking space, alongside an array of EV chargers for visitors.
The overall vision for the Wolverhampton Canalside masterplan is the delivery of around 1,000 homes to meet both the city and wider region’s housing needs, with sustainability and place-making at its heart.
Andrew Chandler, Development Manager at the Canal & River Trust, added: “We are delighted to be working collaboratively with City of Wolverhampton Council and Wavensmere Homes to bring forward this transformational, high quality canalside residential-led scheme which will deliver generous well-connected walkways and public open spaces. This scheme will transform derelict brownfield land, while connecting more people to the local canal network and its rich biodiversity.
“Canalside South will positively influence the quality of future development around our canals. It will also demonstrate the positive impact that water has on those who live and use the waterways, encouraging more people to engage with their local canal and at the same time help support what we do as a charity and show that life really is better by water.”
Birmingham-headquartered Wavensmere Homes has 3,500 homes on site, or currently in planning. The firm is in the final phase of the £175m Nightingale Quarter, which is the redevelopment of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary into 925 energy-efficient houses, apartments, and community amenities. The company is constructing two other major brownfield regeneration schemes, located in central Birmingham and Ipswich, and has further projects – including four additional landmark schemes in Derby and Cheltenham – in the immediate pipeline.
To view the plans, visit www.canalsideWV1.co.uk
