£650k land was offered to West Bromwich Building Society for free
The West Bromwich Building Society was offered land worth £650,000 for free on which to build a new HQ and another plot for car parking in a desperate bid by Sandwell Council to keep the company in the town, it has emerged.
Council leader Councillor Darren Cooper today revealed the last ditch efforts made to stop The West Brom leaving the town it called its home for 163 years.
The West Brom, which is currently on High Street, was offered land at the Providence Place development to build more modern premises next to the BT regional business centre, off All Saints Way, Councillor Cooper said.
He said he wanted to show residents how hard the authority fought to stop the household name leaving. The land was valued by an independent firm, before Councillor Cooper claimed he would waive any charge.
Mr Cooper has spoken out after the society announced it will re-locate its HQ and 500 staff to the Point North development, The Waterfront, at Merry Hill.
He aid: "We offered the society £650,000 worth of land, and land behind it for exclusive use as a car park for its staff. I want the people of West Bromwich to know how the council did everything it possibly could to make sure the society stayed in its home town, where it drew its origins."
Society chief executive Jonathan Westhoff would not comment on the claim.
It comes as it emerged two branches of the building society could move completely out of West Bromwich High Street to locate nearer the town's £200 million Tesco.
Mr Westhoff said he would consider moving the society's two branches nearer Cronehills Linkway, if the focus of the town changed after the giant superstore was finished.
