New Merry Hill furniture shop will bring up to 50 jobs

Wren Living is looking at taking over the former Staples unit on the retail park, a planning application submitted to Dudley Council reveals.

The premises have been vacant since 2013, but bosses say there has been 'little interest' from retailers until now.

It comes after Merry Hill has been boosted by the arrival of new names over the past six months. They include Ed's Diner, which opened earlier this month, creating around 30 part-time and full-time positions.

In May, Ultimate Outdoors, part of JD Sports, opened a new branch, bringing 60 jobs, taking over the old Kiddicare premises which had been lying empty since September last year.

If the Wren Living plan goes ahead the jobs created would be both part-time and full-time positions.

Agent Tim Rainbird, from planning consultant Quod, said in the application: "Significantly, up to 50 full and part-time jobs will be created if they do occupy the unit. Local investment will also arise from the external works and store fit outs."

A spokesman for Wren Living said it was too early to comment on the proposals but more details are expected to be released at a later date.

Wren Living is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of kitchen, bathroom and bedroom cabinets and furniture. The company has more than 40 sites across the country and its headquarters, known as The Nest, is in Barton-Upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire.

Mr Rainbird added: "Wren's retail offer is distinctly different from competing retailers. Perhaps the most apparent difference is the final product is delivered direct from Wren's dedicated manufacturing facilities in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire to the customer fully assembled, as opposed to the traditional flatpack approach.

"The customer is responsible for installing the cabinets and other items themselves, or alternatively can employ a contractor to do the job for them."

Staples left the site in March 2013.