City's Beatties site set for compulsory purchase

Powers for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of Wolverhampton's former Beatties store is set to be used by the city council to address its "poor condition", it has emerged.

One of the city's most recognisable buildings, the former department store on Victoria Street has been boarded up and abandoned, since House of Fraser moved out in 2019.

Planning permission was granted to private owners in 2021 for the redevelopment of parts of the former store and car park, as well as associated land.

However, City of Wolverhampton Council said the current owner, Eden Beatties, had failed to progress the scheme and legal action is expected to be taken.

The planned redevelopment aimed to retain 6,809 sqm (73,291 sqft) of commercial floorspace and develop 306 apartments, as well as redevelop land between Darlington Street, Skinner Street, Victoria Street and School Street.

Eden Beatties had stripped out the internal fittings in the property and removed some structures, but the council said the building was now in a poor condition.

The council's cabinet is now set to approve in principle the option to use CPO powers to buy the site and facilitate its development, and are meeting to discuss the report.

Its vacant properties taskforce is taking enforcement action for non-compliance of a s215 notice requiring the owners to tidy the site.

Councillor Chris Burden said: "Senior council officers met with the current owners of the Beatties building recently and, on behalf of all Wulfrunians, expressed in no uncertain terms that the current state of the building is totally unacceptable.

"Eden Beatties have failed to comply with the council's legally-binding clean up notice, missing deadline after deadline. Further legal action is likely to follow."

The local authority said it was keen for the site to be brought back into use, to provide new housing and commercial opportunities, restore the locally listed heritage asset, and act as a catalyst for further regeneration.

They also said they wanted it to resolve long standing issues of anti-social behaviour in the area.

The council said agreeing in principle to use CPO powers was "a last resort" but "would offer certainty of regeneration within a reasonable timeframe."

The council is also commissioning a Development Delivery Strategy for the site in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), who would fund the strategy.

The strategy would identify what needs to be done and the steps to be followed to acquire a development partner, should that be necessary.

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