Demolition starts at Royal Brierley Crystal site

A landmark former Black Country glass factory was today being demolished, paving the way for a new multi-million pound home for Sandwell's archives.

Diggers and bulldozers today pulled on to the Royal Brierley Crystal site, in Tipton Road, to rip down the historic building.

Within minutes of the machinery starting the demolition, bricks came crumbling down, leaving roof beams exposed.

Once cleared the site is set transformed into a new home for Dudley and Sandwell archives as part of a £6 million project.

Tipton-based firm Humphries Demolition Ltd moved onto site in August to carry out preparation work for the demolition which today got fully under way.

Just days before the workers moved on site the roof of the building, next to the Black Country Living Museum, was badly damaged in an arson attack.

Councillor Adrian Turner, cabinet member for housing, libraries and adult learning at Dudley Council said today: "Subject to the plans going through we are looking forward to providing the people of Dudley and neighbouring boroughs the benefit of a state-of-the-art archives facility." As well as housing Dudley's archives, part of the premises would be rented out to Sandwell Council for storage facilities.

The archives are currently at the former Mount Pleasant school in Coseley which would be redeveloped for housing under the plans.

Council chiefs say they want to make the move because the archives service has almost outgrown its existing building.

The building being demolished was once home to the factory and shop of Brierley Crystal which had operated a glassworks in Brierley Hill since 1776. The firm moved to the site in 2002 and opened a factory and shop. The factory closed in 2007, and the shop in 2010.