Piece by piece, Stafford car park disappears
Within weeks this multi-storey car park will have disappeared from Stafford's skyline as it makes way for a multi-million-pound leisure development.
The old Tesco car park in Bridge Street is on course to be flattened by the end of March or beginning of April, developers revealed today. Diggers are pulling apart piece by piece the structure which once accommodated hundreds of cars.
Carl Barrand, development director at LXB Properties, who are behind the Riverside development, said: "The car park should be gone by the end of March or beginning of April and then the construction work can commence. The work is moving forward well and is on course."
The new retail and leisure complex will feature Marks & Spencer, River Island and Debenhams. There will also be a new multi-storey car park that bosses say will be more modern than the dated building that residents have branded an eyesore.
Two cinema chains have expressed an interest in moving into the development, though Mr Barrand has so far refused to reveal their identities. The complex in the heart of the town will cover two sides of the river and be linked by a new pedestrian bridge.
Norman Jones, Stafford Borough Council's head of policy and improvement, said: "There is real progress being made on site.
"We are very fortunate in Stafford. The economy is picking up but retail is still struggling. Despite that we are still getting this brand new development."
The car park will be replaced by a 14-level car park with more than 1,000 spaces.
