Walsall regeneration: Here’s what’s coming in 2026

The next stage of a £1.5bn West Midlands regeneration programme is set to get underway early next year – including the next steps in work to boost connectivity between the town centre and railway station.

Earlier this month, Walsall Council approved a new town centre masterplan, which the authority says will form part of an over-arching scheme to “transform the borough as a destination of choice to live, work and spend time”.

Around 2,000 homes have either been built or are in progress, with around £500m committed to projects across the borough, and a number of planned works expected to get under way early next year.

Here’s a Place Midlands look at what’s coming up for Walsall in 2026.

Connected Gateway

The authority’s flagship project will improve links between the town’s railway and bus stations and the town centre, a scheme which will see new public realm created alongside much needed improvements to the tired Saddler Centre shopping arcade.

Walsall Council says the scheme will transform the arrival experience for travellers – and phase one of the project got underway earlier this year with a makeover of the ground floor of the shopping centre which included new toilets and escalators, and the return of the popular Three Men in a Boat automaton and clock.

Following appointment of Kier as main contractors for the next phase of the project, work will begin on a new public square in early 2026 with the demolition of two former commercial buildings on Park Street.

Further refurbishment works to the upper floors of the Saddler Centre will also take place as part of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2027.

Walsall Waterfront

Also scheduled for early 2026 is the installation of an eye-catching new footbridge over Walsall canal, intended to better connect the town centre and open up footpath links to the nearby waterfront apartments and Crown Wharf retail park.

Plans for the new footbridge were approved in September, with work expected to begin shortly.

The new bridge is part of a scheme of improvements to make Walsall’s canal basin more attractive, which has seen the local authority working with the Canal and Rivers Trust on upgrades to the tow paths, which also saw a new maintenance barged moored in the town’s canal basin.

Guildhall

Restoration work on the grade two-listed Guildhall building at the top of the High Street is expected to continue into 2026, as part of a project to convert the building into a Creative Industries Enterprise Centre.

The £5m project, which got underway in May this year, will convert the building into “modern, flexible spaces” for creative industry businesses, with additional spaces for community activity and events.

Spearheading the creative industries initiative is Walsall-based Makerspace Urban Hax, who will work in partnership with the council to deliver and run the CIEC.

Work is expected to be completed by the summer.

New adult learning centre and youth hub

Plans to convert the town’s former Marks & Spencer into a new learning facility for Walsall College were submitted in August.

The building, which has sat empty since it closed as a department store in 2018, will be renovated into a “state-of-the-art” education centre for adults, intended to support skills development, employability and lifelong learning programmes.

The authority says the scheme will benefit adults from across the borough, and bring more footfall into the town centre, with space for over 700 learners and 60 staff.

Preliminary strip out work has already begun at the 1970’s building, next door to the Saddler Centre, with work due for completion in 2027.

Reflecting back on the year, Cllr Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of the council, said 2025 had been a “truly transformative” year for the area.

“We are seeing major regeneration schemes move from paper into delivery, and residents can now feel and see positive change taking shape,” he said.

“Whether it’s the refurbishment of Bradford Mall, the return of Three Men In a Boat, the renewal of the Guildhall, the planned canal footbridge, or the arrival of the new Adult Learning Centre, these projects show our long-term commitment to building a thriving town centre that serves local people.

“With more investment still to come, the next two years will be even more exciting.”