Smithgate project moves forward with £83m boost

Funding of £83m has been secured for the development of a new quarter hoped to "breathe new life" into Wolverhampton city centre.

The Smithgate project will see up to 1,000 new homes built alongside a mix of public spaces, shops and amenities.

It is set to be constructed on the 12‑acre (5‑hectare) site that connects School Street and Darlington Street to the area around Market Square.

The West Midlands Combined Authority has agreed to invest £18m, and £65m in private funding has been pledged for the scheme, the City of Wolverhampton Council has said.

Work on the first phase, known as Bicycle Works, has already begun with Caddick Construction appointed as the main contractor to deliver 331 new homes.

Once all phases are complete, the development is expected to provide retail, leisure and commercial space, the local authority has said.

ECF — a partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse — has been working with the City of Wolverhampton Council on the scheme.

Basit Ali, development director at ECF, said the funding would speed up the delivery of "high-quality homes, green spaces, and vibrant places" that will "unlock significant economic growth" and create jobs.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker added: "These homes, shops and restaurants will breathe new life and vibrancy into a corner of the city that always had so much more to offer."

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.