New Cannock shopping centre will boast rooftop parking

A flagship shopping complex being lined up for Cannock, featuring names such as Marks & Spencer and Debenhams, will feature a rooftop car park, it has been announced.

Town centre traders had expressed fears shoppers would struggle to park if the 200-space Beecroft Road car park is replaced with the sprawling development.

But council leader George Adamson revealed today any scheme would include parking for a similar number of cars on top of the stores.

Officers are contacting developers to market the availability of the site to retailers hunting for new outlets.

Councillor Adamson said today: "If this development goes ahead there will be car parking on top of the shopping centre - we won't actually lose any spaces in the long term.

"While the work is ongoing there will be some temporary spaces, then there will be roughly the same amount as we have there already once it is completed.

"We are still making contact with developers. It's hard going in the midst of a recession, but we think this is the right time to start looking at it, while the market is low."