£150 Million Redevelopment Plan For Goodyear Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton’s famous Goodyear site is at the centre of a £150 million redevelopment plan. The plans will see the site transformed into a residential zone with 700 houses, a park and even a new school. According to local news reports, the plan would also guarantee a future for Goodyear workers for at least the next decade with the firm taking out a 10-year lease on the land it will occupy.

Developers St Modwen have submitted a planning application to Wolverhampton City Council which will be discussed early next year. Council regeneration boss Councillor Peter Bilson said he had high hopes for the development. “This is fantastic news for Wolverhampton, in particular that the development will safeguard jobs,” he said.

In its prime, Goodyear employed 7,000 people at Wolverhampton and provided hundreds more jobs to suppliers in the region. Today, the plant employs around 500, with some 25 jobs expected to be cut by year-end.

The Birmingham Express and Star reported that workers had hoped more jobs could be safeguarded after improving productivity by 16 per cent, cutting accidents by 45 per cent and reducing absenteeism.

Goodyear spokesman James Bailey said: “On the production side the redevelopment allows us to continue to employ around 500 people on the site in our primary process of tyre production. This is also good news for Wolverhampton because the site will be bring jobs and new homes.”

Wolverhampton City Council regeneration chairman Peter Bilson said he had high hopes for the development. “This is fantastic news for Wolverhampton, in particular that the development will safeguard jobs.”