Parking fear on £500m plan

Planners have a parking headache to solve as the £500 million overhaul of West Bromwich town centre will mean thousands of extra people vying for the town's spaces.

Over the next 10 years experts predict that 10,000 new jobs could be created in the area which, coupled with other developments, will attract many to the area.

The Public - West Bromwich's controversial arts centre which is set to open in June - is the town's centrepiece tourist attraction predicted to attract 150,000 people a year yet it has no designated parking.

This alone will mean on average there will be almost 3,000 more people each week trying to park in the town centre.

A temporary car park is currently being established on the site of the former Gala Baths in Lombard Street which will include 250 spaces.

When the derelict B&Q store in New Street is demolished this too will be developed into 150 parking spaces before work on the Tesco development starts on the site.

Rob Lee, director of planning and transportation at Sandwell Council said that ensuring people are able to park will be "vital" if the plans for the renaissance of West Bromwich are to succeed.

He said: "In the long term the council recognises that the overall level of parking provision is critical to the competitiveness and viability of the town and, as plans to grow the town centre develop, will be looking to provide additional parking facilities in appropriate accessible locations."

Mr Lee said the council was prioritising the need for extra parking. He added: "Ensuring there is an adequate supply of parking is recognised by the council as being important."

By Sally Walmsley