Crown Centre revamp in new delay

A £50million revamp of Stourbridge's ailing Crown Centre has hit yet more delays as plans go back to the drawing board for a fifth time.

Supermarket giant Tesco, expected to take up an 80,000sq ft plot in the centre, wants to make amendments to the current floor plan before committing.

Tesco spokesman Tony Fletcher revealed the new plans would be ready to go on display before the end of May.

He said: "We are finalising the amended plans and will be ready in around four or five weeks' time.

"We will then be holding a public exhibition to show off the plans."

The project has been plagued by delays since Dudley Council gave the multi-million pound plans the thumbs-up in 2008.

The original scheme was for changes to the centre including the supermarket, a 15,000 sq ft market hall and a complex of 75 flats, as well as improvements to the 458-space multi-storey car park in neighbouring Bell Street and six new shops to sit alongside those already trading in the centre.