Regeneration
Work to start on Walsall Saddlers Centre next month
Published on
Work is due to start on the transformation of Walsall Town Centre with the first phase of work to renovate the downstairs area of the Saddlers Centre starting next month.
The plans for Walsall Town Centre include transforming the arrival experience from the train station, refurbishing the Saddlers Centre to make it lighter, brighter and more accessible. The downstairs area, known as Bradford Mall, will be renovated to let in more light and renovate the escalators, adding an additional staircase. The rear entrance by the Bradford Place bus station will also be refurbished.
“ It’ll be great to get spades in the ground in the town centre and see the scheme start to progress. A more accessible, attractive town centre will drive footfall and create more opportunities for leisure, business and adult learning. “
The scheme, known as the Connected Gateway, aims to improve the link between the train and bus stations, creating a more attractive and accessible arrival experience. Park Street is due to be reconfigured in 2025, with plans to knock down some of the buildings opposite the Saddlers Centre entrance to open up the space between the transport hubs.
Recent engagement with a group of young people showed that they felt unsafe in the town centre, and thought that Butlers Passage, the narrow alleyway that a lot of commuters use to get from the town centre to the bus station, was unpleasant. Feedback after seeing the proposed plans was overwhelmingly positive with many saying that they were excited for the future and felt they would be more inclined to spend time in the town centre under the proposed plans.
“ The proposed improvements are truly exciting. Enhancing accessibility for public transport users and creating a modern, appealing arrival experience will encourage people to stay longer, boosting footfall and dwell time. This, in turn, will create numerous opportunities for leisure, hospitality, and retail sectors “
Speller Metcalfe have been appointed to deliver this phase of work, which will be completed in phases to minimise disruption. Businesses in the Saddlers Centre will still be able to operate as normal, with a lot of work scheduled to take place outside of business hours, and access to the train station will be maintained.
The town centre developments are part of Walsall borough’s £1.5billion programme of investment, aiming to create opportunities for local people, improve accessibility and transport, and build more homes.
In 2021 Walsall secured funding of £11.4m from the Future High Street Fund and together with further investment from Walsall Council, the Connected Gateway scheme will be delivered as part of the Town Centre Masterplan.
