Former Dudley Council offices could be redeveloped as supermarket, says council leader
A former council walk-in centre could be demolished to make way for a new supermarket, a council leader has said.
The former office complex in Dudley town centre had been identified as a prime redevelopment site for regenerating the town, council leader Councillor Patrick Harley has said.
The Dudley Council Plus centre in Castle Street closed in January this year as part of a cost-cutting programme by the council.
Councillor Harley said Castle Street, which formed the link between the was crucial to the future regeneration of Dudley, and was already attracting interest.
"it is a prime site, and lots of interested parties have come forward," he said.
"I would like to see it redeveloped as a supermarket, as it has a car park to the rear."
Councillor Harley said fresh plans were also being drawn up for the stalled redevelopment of the former Cavendish House site off Trindle Road, but admitted they were less ambitious than previous proposals for the site, and said that may depend on securing funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Developer Avenbury put forward a bold £82 million scheme in 2015 which would have seen the former Cavendish House office block demolished to make way for a shopping and leisure complex including a large supermarket and cinema.
The office block was demolished in 2020, but the scheme failed to materialise, and in 2023 the developer submitted fresh plans which would have seen the site developed entirely for housing.
However, the scheme stalled in March last year after planning officer Peter Chan voiced concerns about the lack of provision for commercial use.
"The entire ground floor facing Trindle Road and upper part of Porter Street should be as active as possible, therefore, residential use on such ground floor level is not appropriate for this heart of town location," said Mr Chan.
Councillor Harley said the developer had since come back with a revised plan to include some restaurants and bars at ground-floor level, but its viability depended on funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority.
He added that a planning application for the proposed ice rink off Flood Street was due to be submitted in February.
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