Big promise made on bringing forgotten corner of Willenhall back to life

Councillor Adrian Andrew, who has spearheaded the policy, vowed demolition works will start in the New Year.

The reassurance comes as a Compulsory Purchase Order was granted to Walsall Council following a public inquiry. The CPO gives the council powers to buy 21,000 square metres Villiers Street, Moat Street, New Hall Street, Stafford Street and Temple Bar, without any landowner’s consent.

The plan is to build 107 homes in the area, currently home to dilapidated buildings which have been a target for antisocial behaviour and arson. The council was awarded £20million of levelling up money from the government to deliver the first phase.

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Councillor Andrew said: “Willenhall’s been let down over the years. People don’t believe this is going to happen, that’s why we need to do it, we need to build confidence.

“I would love to give the people of Willenhall a Christmas present and get it all knocked down before Christmas, but I’m afraid that’s not going to be the case.

“But we will be getting some demolition done in the New Year and hopefully that will reassure the people of Willenhall that something is going to happen on that site, and that it’s being taken incredibly seriously.”

Outline planning permission has already been granted for the demolition and construction of the 107 homes. Property developer Keepmoat Homes Ltd has been contracted to deliver the project.

An inception meeting is due to take place on Friday, November 29, with key stakeholders to discuss a demolition schedule and put construction plans in place. Councillor Andrew said to get this far, it has cost the council around £500,000.

Once phase one is out of the way, other parts of the Masterplan will be on the agenda. These include up to 200 new homes in the area around Pinson Road , up to 70 new homes around Wednesfield Road in the north of Willenhall and enhanced walking and cycling routes across the town.

Running alongside the Masterplan is the construction of Willenhall’s railway station. Last week an update was delivered from the West Midlands Rail Executive. It said plans remain on track to be delivered in winter 2025/26, despite last minute changes to platform plans due to a ‘pop-up’ building.

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Councillor Andrew said: “We need to get Moat Street and Villiers Street delivered. We are no longer going to sit by and let derelict sites rot into the ground like they are. We’ve got to deliver it.

“We are going to do our very best to work with landowners where they want to, but where people won’t work with us, then we are prepared to go further with more CPOs across the borough.”