A flagship supermarket and a 400-space car park will be the centrepiece of the re-invigoration of Dudley’s ailing town centre, it was revealed today.

Plans for the multi-million pound development in Castle Street will be submitted this summer with builders on site as soon as the end of the year, bosses say.

Proposals for the 70,000sq ft store and underground car park are being hailed as “very exciting”.

Deputy council leader Councillor Les Jones said the project would pave the way for the “complete transformation of Dudley” in the next decade.

Talks have started with supermarkets to try to generate interest in the scheme and Rupert Dugdale, head of design and projects at Dudley Council, said the response had been encouraging.

“There is clearly a real need for a good quality food store in the town, and also the need for parking in the centre and that is what we are trying to achieve,” he said.

“We have prepared outline proposals and we are currently talking to potential food store operators to test their interest, then we will be putting in a planning application. The response so far has been positive. We would be looking to put in an application in June.”

Councillor Jones, also cabinet member for regeneration, said he hoped the project could start within months.

“I would like to see something happening this year,” he said. “In the next five to 10 years we are going to see the complete transformation of Dudley.

“This will bring more people in, meaning more money being spent and improving the economic vitality of the town. That in turn brings jobs.”

Central Dudley councillor Malcolm Davis welcomed the proposals. “I’m very excited,” he said. “If we can get this off the drawing board and into the streets, the sooner the better.”