Talks continue over future of university site

Talks are continuing over the future use of a closing-down university site, a council meeting has been told.

The University of Wolverhampton announced last year that its Telford campus, which contains the listed Priorslee Hall and also has business tenants and sport fields, would be closing in 2026.

Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council Lee Carter told a full meeting of the authority that a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) was in place regarding "a commercially sensitive transaction" linked to the site, which could not be breached.

He added that the council had a consistent position that it would preserve the site for "education, sport and business uses".

The site is in Priorslee where Conservative councillor Rachael Tyrrell has been fielding residents' queries about what will happen to the site.

Tyrrell told the meeting she had been sending "polite" emails to the council over the last year but has not received "any responses, or any information at all".

"It is entirely reasonable for residents to ask for some sort of update," she said.

"When do we expect solid information to be able to give to residents?"

In 2025, the Labour-led council put £7m into its capital budget in what was called the Priorslee Innovation Fund.

Carter agreed that "residents do need to be kept updated" but he slammed those who falsely claimed that the campus would be used to house asylum seekers.

"We've seen people in positions of responsibility who should know better trying to scaremonger..." he said.

"That any of the parties involved in this transaction would contemplate selling or purchasing the site and re-purposing it for [asylum seekers] is complete nonsense."

Carter added the council "was only interested in securing a site that maintains education, sport and business use".

The council leader said this was not a new statement but it was not "believed despite the facts being out there".

He called on Tyrrell to be "more positive about this scheme" and slammed the Conservative group for voting against last year's budget.

Carter added: "It will be preserved for education, sport and business uses, make no mistake about that.

"NDA means we cannot advise residents any further. As soon as those negotiations are concluded we will of course tell residents about that.

"In the meantime a little bit of positivity from the ward member would be greatly appreciated."

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