Canalside scheme racks up £15m in off-plan sales

More than 50 off-plan homes have been sold at Wolverhampton’s high-profile Canalside South scheme, around six months prior to completion of the first phase of the development.

Birmingham developer Wavensmere Homes received planning permission in October 2024 for a £150m regeneration scheme totalling more than 500 homes on the derelict former industrial site at Qualcast Road.

A former regional distribution centre had stood empty on the site since the collapse of British Steel in 2019 – but work on the first phase of the development, which includes 153 homes, began in February.

Now, the firm has sold a total of 60 off-plan houses to members of it’s “Clique” existing customers group, with a total value of £15.7m. The collection of three-bedroom homes will be completed in the later phases of the scheme, expected to be during 2029.

The full development is expected to be completed by the end of 2030.

Donna Smith, sales director for Wavensmere Homes, said: “We offered preferential access to a limited release of 60 plots, which were all assigned to purchasers within 48 hours.

“This later phase of houses wont be build complete for three to four years, which suits Clique members, as they have already been through the investment journey on other Wavensmere developments. They appreciate that purchasing quality homes off-plan in mixed-use city centre developments can reap significant dividends.”

The development includes a total of 378 two-and three-bedroom townhouses, designed to target an EPC-A rated specification, together with 145 one-and two-bedroom apartments. A building of 10 co-living units, each containing six bedrooms, is also included in the scheme.

Wavensmere says half of the townhouses have now been matched with purchasers, with the first home handovers due to take place during 2026.

Canalside South is one of the biggest regeneration projects of its kind in the region, part of a council-backed masterplan for the canalside area which includes the delivery of around 1,000 homes to meet both the city and wider region’s housing needs.

Designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects, the low-rise development will include seven acres of green space and open up a new pedestrian route to the city.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, Councillor Chris Burden, said: “Wolverhampton is seeing a huge amount of investment driven by the council’s compelling vision for the city centre based on better connectivity, more homes, jobs, skills and learning opportunities, and a resurgent visitor economy.

“Our work with Wavensmere to bring Canalside South forward is part of our brownfield first strategy to bring life back to redundant sites along our canal network, and through strong collaboration with private and public sector partners, there is more to come.”