Hotel planned for former Wolverhampton store

Plans to convert a run-down former sports shop into a 52-bedroom hotel and gym have been lodged with the city council.

The scheme for the vacant 4-8 Queen Street building, which was a branch of Sports Direct until it shut down in 2023, would see former retail space on the ground floor converted into a gym, with the upper floors of the 35,000 sq ft building converted into hotel accommodation.

The application has been registered by London-based applicant Opinder Singh Gulati, supported by Birmingham architects Master Design Studio, under the name “Easy Group Management Ltd” – although the business is not related to the Easy brand founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in any way.

However, they say their proposal would bring a “central, under-utilised building” back into use, contributing to the city’s footfall and evening economy. The scheme also includes a replacement facade on the dual-fronted building’s Queen Street and King Street elevations.

“The proposed conversion of 4 Queen Street from retail to hotel use represents a high-quality and sustainable redevelopment that will deliver much-needed visitor accommodation in Wolverhampton city centre,” read a design and access statement supplied by the applicant.

“The proposal aligns with the city’s regeneration objectives and delivers a design that balances contemporary architecture with functionality and context sensitivity.”

The scheme would see 22 bedrooms created on the first floor of the building, 16 on the second floor and 14 on the third. No rooms are proposed for the building’s fourth floor, which contains a plant room.

The application and plans relating to the scheme can be viewed on City of Wolverhampton Council’s planning portal, using reference: 25/01235/FUL