First images of £70m centre released

This is the first image of the planned new £70 million Queens Square shopping centre in West Bromwich.

The images were revealed by regeneration agency Regenco, which has released its annual report outlining the progress of its major projects in 2007/08.

It also revealed today that a "major developer" is planning to acquire Smethwick's historic Soho Foundry and is putting together a package of commercial proposals for the building.

The listed building is of major historical importance, with an investment of at least £5 million required to bring it into use, according to English Heritage.

The company has also carried out a feasibility study into developing a new business centre on Junction One of the M5.

Regenco have produced graphics showing just how much of West Bromwich will be transformed under the plans.

The new glass fronted shopping centre, which will be called New Queens Square, will see the complete refurbishment and redevelopment of the existing centre, which is tired and crumbling.

Planning consent has been granted for the building will have a new entrance from High Street.

In addition to the shops there will also be 22 new apartments included in the build and an 850 space multi-storey car park.

Bosses at the company are hoping that the centre will attract top high street stores to its 23 new units, taking up 167,000 sq ft of space.

In other parts of the town planning permission has been granted for a new £80 million Sandwell College, with compulsory purchase orders in place on the site of the planned new Tesco development.

The physical landscape of West Bromwich has already begun to change with site clearances starting ahead of the construction of the new Tesco store in the Ringway.

Clearance has also begun on the "Eastern Gateway" development site.