City claims success in empty buildings campaign

A scheme to cut the number of empty buildings in Wolverhampton has led to a 25% reduction and made a "tangible" difference, the city council has said.

The authority set up its Vacant Properties Taskforce in February 2024, to monitor unused buildings in the city and work with owners to bring them back into use.

A meeting on Wednesday will be told that the number has fallen from 1,530 to 1,141 since the scheme launched.

Council officers gave a number of examples of properties which had been improved thanks to intervention from the taskforce, such as the Stalled work to build student accommodation on the corner of Cleveland Street and Victoria Street which had been restarted.

It had worked with the owners of the prominent Royal London buildings, fronting onto Wulfruna Street and Princes Square, issuing orders requiring them to improve the frontages.

The authority said it would "respond quickly to any reports of untidy buildings and land in the city from the public, councillors and other external stakeholders."

Focusing on the city centre, Bilston, Wednesfield and Tettenhall, it said it would "proactively contact owners of vacant properties and offer planning, investment and business support advice".

The council said it would also take legal action where necessary, to force owners to carry out works.

It said the owners of the Brewbakers Building in Horseley Fields had been ordered to make improvements, and would face further action if they failed to do so.

It also said prosecutions were being considered in relation to other prominent buildings, including the former Beatties store, where redevelopment has been approved but not yet started.

The authority added that it was in talks with the owners of another landmark, the former Eye Infirmary in Chapel Ash, to kickstart works there.

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