West Bromwich Building Society HQ to be bulldozed

The landmark headquarters of the West Bromwich Building Society is set to be bulldozed and redeveloped when the company moves to a new home.

Developer Stoford has agreed to take on the site in High Street, West Bromwich, and secure detailed planning permission for it when the society moves to the town's new £75 million All Saints development by early 2012.

The plans are detailed in a report to a meeting of Sandwell Council's cabinet which meets on Wednesday.

The report says: "This is a 1970s development with significant structural liabilities and is not capable of refurbishment by the building society for its current purposes.

"Stoford Developments Ltd has agreed to acquire these premises, and working with the authority, Stoford will demolish the building and secure detailed planning permission for the site. This will be an expensive exercise since the building lies within the West Bromwich Conservation Area and the existing development contains an unquantified amount of asbestos."

Sandwell's jobs and economy chief, Councillor Ian Jones, said he was pleased that steps were being taken to ensure the High Street site was given a new lease of life.

The All Saints development, alongside the A41, is the first major office scheme in the town in 30 years. It is being built by Bowmer &Kirkland on behalf of Birmingham-based developer Stoford.