Change Some City Land Designation?

Recently at a meeting of the City Councils scrutiny panel dealing with Enterprise & Business I asked a series of questions relating to the bidding process and the key funding opportunities that present through membership of the European Union.

I am keen to see the real hard to sell industrial sites that have been on Wolverhampton books that are open to offers from the private sector moved on and developed. I am aware that these sites are hard to sell and develop due to their former uses. Many will have been contaminated through centuries of the industrial and manufacturing processes the city has become famous for. Some of the sites will have not been sold because of poor access.

I asked officials if it would be possible to change some of these sites use. I used for example land near the railway line and other key gateways to the City. I asked if these sites that are viewed from the train that are unused and ugly could be re designated park or open space and radically change the current ugly views that visitors and residents get when approaching this City. Some of these sites have been abandoned by industry for decades and are a very poor visual image for the City and they do nothing to raise City values.

The Officer agreed that sites were being examined to offer alternative functions especially when there were numerous barriers to development. That sites along key gateways were being explored.

I must admit to looking forward to seeing a further report on this issue being presented for debate later in the New Year. Its crucial to how we all want to see Wolverhampton improve and look better.