A multi-million pound project to build new homes and shops, boost parking and create 150 new jobs has been unveiled for Brownhills.
Bosses of supermarket giant Tesco today revealed plans to double the size of its Silver Street site to 60,000sq ft and transform High Street with new shops, cafes and homes.
The proposals would see the new store built on stilts, to create an extra 280 parking spaces underneath it. There would also be around 12 new shops and an undisclosed number of homes in Pier Street.
Tesco will carry out a public consultation in September.
Tony Fletcher, corporate affairs manager for the supermarket, said: “We are looking forward to showing our ideas for redeveloping the site and bringing a new, modern shopping experience to our customers in Brownhills.”
The outline planning application is expected to be submitted to Walsall Council in October.
The news of the long-awaited plan has been met with approval by regeneration bosses and ward councillors who say it will breathe new life into the centre of the town.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The outline proposals for the Tesco are very exciting and build upon the regeneration strategy for Brownhills.
“We hope to work closely with Tesco to maximise benefits for the district centre and the local community. This is another example of Walsall Council working with external partners to increase investment.”
Councillor Alan Paul, Ward Councillor for Brownhills and member of the Brownhills Project Reference Group, said he was also delighted with the plans.
“I am all for investment in Brownhills,” he said.
“The proposed new Tesco will bring extra shoppers into the town.”
8 Comments
It’s nice to see that Walsall Council seem to be preparing to roll over and play dead for Tesco when it comes to regeneration in Brownhills. One imagines that since the store is to be ‘on stilts’ that it will replace the current Ravens Court precinct - in which case more than 12 shops will be demolished to make way for it. Still, we can’t let them face any competition, can we…
well to be fair brownhills needs something to boost it, i mean people only go there to shop at tesco or the saturday market,what else is in brownhills that’s useful ermmmm nothing
I totally disagree, I think Brownhills has got a good range of shops. There’s greengrocers, butchers, a pet shop, several cafes, clothes shops, charity shops, electrical-wares shops, hairdressers, barbers, bakers, a couple of pubs, good bus links…. and parking’s free. I don’t live in Brownhills; I live in Lichfield and I do my shopping in Brownhills because all the shops in Lichfield are becoming bars and the parking charges are exorbitent. Don’t knock the place; it may be a tad scruffy but it’s got everything you need. If all the property owners and landlords got together and tidied their buildings up the place would look quite smart. It is, however, a shame that the the Tescos development is heralded as the greatest thing that will ever happen to Brownhills as I believe it’ll suck the life out of the High Street. Time will tell. Look at Asdatown…..sorry, Darlaston
I agree with Adam, don’t let Brownhills become another Darlaston.
i don’t agree they have wasted enough money on brownhills the big tin man? yes celebrate the mining history but not with a big waste of money, Tesco will hopefully make the place a lot better
thats great news,but i would like to know when would it be done
i live in brownhills have all my life the market is a disgrace it sickens me to go there now because its not how it used to be an half of it shut whenever u go brownhills has a good range shops an facilities but a bigger tescos is not the answer an the biggest waste of money in my opinion is the park view centre why but things there which are out of the reach of old folks an young familys.
will we changing our towns name to tescohills,we have an hard enough time with aldridge-brownhills council without this, open up the railway again, and change the high street to pedestrians only!!!