City Centre Plan: progress for Molineux, but key issues remain
Wolves 1877 Supporters Trust submitted a detailed response to Wolverhampton City Council's Our Future City Centre Plan consultation, drawing on our Manifesto for Change and discussions with supporters. We wanted the Plan to recognise Molineux's importance and address the issues fans face on matchdays.
We have now reviewed the final, approved Plan against our submission Some of our priorities have been included, but several practical concerns remain unresolved.
What has changed
The Plan now formally recognises Molineux's heritage and economic significance, including its role as a major visitor destination attracting close to a million visitors a year. It also reflects the cultural importance of Molineux Stadium as the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers and has on generation of supporters.
There is a commitment from the City Council to produce a supporter focused accessibility strategy, with specific reference to disabled supporters. This addresses our call for a strategy covering parking, disabled access and different modes of transport.
The Plan acknowledges that future development at Molineux must enhance the stadium's heritage and the matchday experience for supporters, residents, businesses and the wider community.
Outstanding issues
Molineux is still not identified as a formal development or 'opportunity for change' site. Our submission, reflecting our own Manifesto for Change document, called for the Club to engage more proactively with the Council on the stadium's future.
Proposals for the Ring Road crossing near the Civic Centre remain unchanged. We raised concerns about their ambition and deliverability and remain ready to work with the Council on practical alternatives.
There are no substantive changes to proposals for Molineux Street, Waterloo Road and Stafford Street, despite our concerns about queuing, pedestrian safety and barriers to movement on matchdays, although for Molineux Street the plan does acknowledge the need to consider the numbers of matchday spectators and students in developing proposals for improvements.
There is no firm commitment to protect visiting-supporter coach parking on Falkland Street or matchday car parking on Waterloo Road as development progresses.
The Plan makes no change regarding a managed pedestrian route through the University's School of Art campus, although we support the wider investment.
The Trust’s view
We welcome the recognition of Molineux's heritage and the needs of disabled supporters. These additions are an important outcome of the Trust's engagement with the Council.
But recognition must be followed by practical improvements. Parking, coach access, pedestrian routes and the Ring Road crossing still need attention, and the Plan does not set out a clear vision for Molineux's redevelopment.
Next steps
Wolves 1877 Supporters Trust will continue to seek direct discussions with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Wolverhampton City Council about these outstanding issues. We want supporters to have a say in decisions about Molineux's future and matchday access.
We will keep members informed as those discussions develop.
If you have any views or suggestions you would like us to raise, please contact molineux@wolves1877trust.co.uk.
Join the Trust - https://www.wolves1877trust.co.uk/membership
Our Molineux, our Future
Supporting document links:
https://wolverhampton.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=10259
https://www.wolves1877trust.co.uk/news/the-future-of-molineux-must-include-wolves-supporters
https://www.wolves1877trust.co.uk/s/Future-City-Centre-Plan_1877-Trust-Sumission-Issue.pdf