Residents in Willenhall’s Moat Street, Cemetery Road, Villiers Street, and New Hall Street area endure years of decay from derelict factories once buzzing with industry. Frequent fires, motorbike disturbances on nearby greenways, and drug-related incidents plague the neighborhood.
A Blighted Landscape Transforms
The Willenhall Masterplan, spearheaded by Walsall Council, clears these eyesores for 109 new homes developed by Keepmoat. Demolition, first pledged in January 2025, finally commenced last month, bringing relief to locals.
In 2023, BBC crews selected the site as a gritty stand-in for Northern Ireland’s Troubles, underscoring its dire state.
Residents Voice Relief and Concerns
Neil Hathaway, 57, a local resident, describes the current conditions: “It’s in a bad state at the moment, it needs something to do with it. The future has got to be better than what it is at the moment. It’s been a hell for a long time. We see a lot of things going on. Antisocial behaviour is a big problem. Buildings are always being broken into, they need CCTV desperately. If there’s some houses there at least it’s protected in some way.”
Stephen Roberts, 70, who has lived nearby for over a decade, reflects: “We’ve seen it all, we had the big fire, there’s been filming on the street, every year there’s something new. We just watch out the window seeing it all unfold. I think [the project] is good for the area. Willenhall needs to be brought back up. It’s been dropping a bit just lately. I think it’ll be a good thing.”
David Whitehouse, 71, highlights ongoing issues: “It’s a bit of a nightmare at times and the police aren’t very helpful either. The only problem I’ve got with the new houses is the parking. All the houses that are going up need catering for so they can all park their cars off the road. There was a car park here originally that we used to use, and they took it off us. Now we have to park on the road. My car’s been hit several times. It would be good if we could have some parking spaces here.”
Keepmoat confirms on-street parking will decrease significantly due to ample off-road provisions across the site.
Council Welcomes Progress
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council’s Deputy Leader, states: “It’s great to see these derelict eyesores start to come down in Willenhall. They’ve been a blight on the community for too long and the demolition is a major step forward in laying the groundwork for a future that Willenhall truly deserves.”
