Latest twist in the saga to redevelop eyesore Dudley office block Cavendish House

Bosses behind a long-awaited redevelopment of the site have told council chiefs they need a road to be created from Duncan Edwards Way to draw shoppers to the area.

It could present yet another obstacle in the saga surrounding Cavendish House, which has stood empty for years.

A masterplan for the site would see the derelict office block bulldozed to be replaced by a retail and shopping development.

But owners Avenbury fear the site is currently too closed off to attract sufficient custom and want a new road leading to the site to be created near a bridge running over the main dual carriageway, not far from Cousins furniture store.

Cutting a new piece of road into land off such a busy road would be a major venture, and Highways England would have to be brought on board before it could go ahead.

It has been suggested a fast-food restaurant could be built on the access road as a way of attracting people to the site.

Dudley's regeneration boss Councillor Khurshid Ahmed said the site's owners needed to prove the development could create sufficient jobs and growth to get funding from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as it would be unlikely to provide cash for a demolition job alone. It all means the bulldozing of the building appears to be a way off.

But Councillor Ahmed said he was committed to ensuring the development comes to fruition. He said: "They want to have another entry into the site near the bridge on Duncan Edwards Way.

"We are working with highways to make sure their request is reasonable.

"We agreed to support it now they have come back and said they want further adjustments.

"We are negotiating and talking and trying to see if we can help them.

"If it is something they feel needs to be added then we should support it.

"There are opportunities in Dudley with the bus station and the metro – all these things are exciting and we want to make this happen."

The latest twist comes after Councillor Ahmed called for Cavendish House to be knocked down as soon as possible and the planning chief reiterated his desire to see progress on the scheme.

He said: "It has been sitting there for years and something needs to be done."

Various schemes involving Cavendish House have been put forward over the years without coming to fruition and there has long been frustration about the eyesore building remaining disused.

If the building, off Trindle Road, is finally knocked down it is then hoped the area will be redeveloped creating homes, restaurants and shops.

The company bought the site for £800,000 at a property auction in London in 2015.