Retail Property - AM is chosen for £210m Wolverhampton revamp

Dutch developer AM Developments has been selected for a£210 million retail-led redevelopment of a major 8 acre (3.2 ha) site in Wolverhampton city centre.

This will be AM's second UK scheme, after Victoria Square in Belfast.

To win the appointment, the company beat off competition from a final shortlist that included London & Cambridge Properties, Centros Miller, St Modwen Properties and Wilson Bowden.

The AM development proposal - provisionally entitled New Summer Row - will provide 484,000 sq ft (44,965 sq m) of retail space, including a major new department store and three other anchor stores; five mid-size units; 81 smaller units; a selection of cafes, bars and restaurants; and a cinema.

The development will also provide 100 apartments and an 800-space underground car park.

The scheme's design will effectively create a two-level shopping street, which will link the Victoria Street area with the existing Mander and Wulfrun shopping centres.

It will also provide a series of new external squares and public spaces, which will help to form a pedestrian route that links the core retail centre.

AM Development UK managing director Paul Sargent said: 'AM believes that it is crucial that city centres such as Wolverhampton broaden their range of offerings, because they are competing against increasing numbers of leisure options.

'New Summer Row will rejuvenate the centre of Wolverhampton, create cohesion and add new life to the city through its retail and residential content.'

It is anticipated that following detailed scheme design, a planning application will be submitted in the autumn, with opening scheduled for 2008.