Express & Star

Work on huge West Bromwich ice rink work 'will begin by end of year'

A huge new ice rink for the Black Country could be built by the end of the year, bosses have revealed.

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It has been more than a year since plans to create the ice rink on the site of the Queens Square car park in West Bromwich first emerged.

But Mike Petrouis, chief executive of Planet Ice, says the plans are still very much alive.

He said the company will lodge the plans with Sandwell Council once it had arranged for the multi-storey car park to be demolished.

The original plan was for the demolition of the car park to start last spring, with the development of the ice rink to begin in the autumn and the building to be open by the end of 2015.

The lack of activity had sparked fears the deal had hit a snag but Mr Petrouis insisted that was not the case.

He said: "The car park needs bulldozing and that is all we are waiting for.

"The onus is on us in fairness to get it done.

"The scheme is still on as far as we're concerned and there is no reason to think the council aren't encouraging it."

Mr Petroius said he expected the delay over the demolition of the car park to be resolved in the next two months.

Then if the plans are approved by councillors, he said work would start by the end of the year.

He said it was likely to be towards the end of 2016 before the 1,500 seater ice rink is open to the public.

"The principle of the deal is agreed. It will still have to go through planning but I don't foresee any problems.

"The stall is this car park, that's where the issue is."

The plan to create the ice rink is expected to created at least 100 jobs.

Council leader Darren Cooper previously told the Express & Star the development would be 'another piece in the jigsaw' for West Bromwich town centre, which has undergone significant investment in recent years.

But the plan to build the ice rink has not been without its critics.

More than 300 people singed a petition against the plans to sell Queens Square car park.

But Mr Petroius said the redevelopment of the car park would rejuvinate the area.

He said: "It is for the people of Sandwell and West Bromwich but it will also bring people to Sandwell from Birmingham.

"A 30-mile radius is normally our catchment with these facilities."

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