McPhillips picked for Wolverhampton depot
The contractor has started work on a £12.5m facility to house the council’s fleet services workshops and taxi licensing operation at its Hickman Avenue site.
Demolition of old light industrial units has been completed council services are expected to move in to the new premises from the end of 2027.
The council’s fleet services will relocate from Culwell Street depot in the city centre to pave the way for hundreds of new homes as part of the Brewers Yard regeneration masterplan.
Cllr Qaiser Azeem, City of Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for resident services, said: “It is great to be breaking ground on this critical scheme for the city. The new purpose-built depot will enable the relocation of important council services to a more suitable base.”
The new Hickman Avenue site will also become home to the council’s taxi licensing operation as it moves from its base at the former Loxdale Primary School, which is earmarked for housing development.
The travel unit will also be included as part of the new development, bringing council fleet together in one location for greater efficiencies.
Andrew Dunham, director of McPhillips, said: “Once this facility is built, the council can move its services across and get on with building new homes on the land they leave behind. That means more homes, more construction work and more jobs for local businesses and local people. The building itself will also help the council run a cleaner and more sustainable fleet.
“This is the kind of public sector work we want to be doing. We look forward to working closely with the council and its staff to deliver a facility that serves Wolverhampton for many years to come.”
Following the transfer of services to Hickman Avenue, the existing buildings at the Culwell Street depot are set to be demolished and the brownfield site remediated, preparing the land for the future development of hundreds of new homes as part of the Brewers Yard scheme.
Once all the land is unlocked for housing the completed scheme will see a mixture of houses and apartments, and new retail and commercial space.
