Since spring, four award winning teams of architects have been working up their vision for the brownfield plot – a key gateway site for the city. It's part of a landmark competition led by City of Wolverhampton Council, social impact developers Capital&Centric and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The architect teams will now unveil their respective ideas at a free event at Wulfrun Hall, The Halls, North Street, Wolverhampton on Wednesday 17 July, 2024. Anyone is welcome to attend the showcase, to be hosted by architect Angela Brady OBE, a past president of RIBA who’s overseeing the competition.
Visitors can choose from one of two sessions (3pm or 5.30pm) and can expect a Dragon's Den style format, as each of the 4 shortlisted teams get 10 minutes to pitch their vision for what will become an impressive new neighbourhood.
Attendees will then get a chance to wander around, speak to the teams to explore their ideas and provide valuable local feedback. It will be the first time that the designs will be seen in public since the competition launched.
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Speaking ahead of the event, Councillor Chris Burden, Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: "St George's is a fantastic opportunity to create a game changing neighbourhood of which the city can be proud. It’s a critical part of our citywide plan to unlock investment in considered development that delivers much needed homes and new opportunities for our communities.
"Through this competition we have secured designs from award winning architects that we hope set a new design benchmark for brownfield regeneration in Wolverhampton. I cannot wait to see what local residents make of the designs the shortlisted teams have come up with and hope as many people as possible get along to the event at The Halls on 17 July."
Social impact developers Capital&Centric are aiming to replicate the approach they’ve successfully delivered in other cities, attracting investment into imaginative and creative communities that feature restored historic buildings alongside contemporary new builds, as well as providing lush green public gardens.
The intention for the former Sainsbury’s supermarket site is for a neighbourhood with a kaleidoscope of hundreds of homes, community spaces and green streets, centred around a repurposed Grade II listed church. It’s anticipated to feature shops, workspaces, café bars and lots of community open space, adding a vibrant new quarter to Wolverhampton’s city centre, with links to the £61 million City Learning Quarter set to open in 2025.
John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: "We all share the ambition to make St George's the jewel in Wolverhampton’s crown. We want to see an exciting neighbourhood that people can be proud of, where there’s something for everyone – whether that’s homes to attract more people to live in the city centre or new places to shop and hang out. The competition has secured some brilliant architects to focus their attention on the city's future and we can't wait to start showing what they've been cooking up."
