First bricks laid for Stourbridge Tesco development

Two shopping floors and staircases can now be seen at the site off the ring road. Some of the roof has also been installed.

Work on the scheme, which also includes a new shopping centre has been gathering pace since the foundations were completed towards the end of last year.

The store is being built on the site of the old Crown Centre and Bell Street multi-storey car park. It was demolished in March last year using explosives. Landmovers cleared 9,000 tons of rubble, some of which will be re-used in the building, ready to construct the shopping complex.

Residents have welcomed the changing landscape of the town.

Accountant Sarah Thomas, aged 32, of Wollaston, said: "It's going to make such a difference to the town and improve the view the for people as they enter the town. It will look a lot better than what was there before."

The new supermarket will create 320 jobs and the development will also include a new shopping centre and a town square.

Lights will be installed on Stourbridge town hall as part of work to revamp the square to make it more attractive to shoppers.

The side of the town hall will form part of the square along with the entrance to the new shopping centre.

It will have plenty of seating for shoppers and will be a showpiece of the development.

Tesco submitted an application for listed building consent to install 'feature lighting' on the town hall, which was approved by the council.

The development is one of a number of regeneration schemes in the pipeline for the town. Planning permission has been granted for an 80-bedroom Premier Inn, which will be built on land just off Birmingham Street. It will have a Brewers Fayre restaurant with 122 car parking spaces.

It is hoped the hotel could be open as early as spring next year and it has been welcomed by Stourbridge Township Council which believes it will boost the town's tourism and economy.

While council bosses have also outlined proposals to boost the use of the River Stour and visitor numbers as part of its masterplan for the town. They want to encourage development along the riverside to help link it better with the town centre.

The regeneration plan includes new pathways alongside the river and new pedestrian crossing points on parts of the ring road to help make the town centre more accessible on foot or by bicycle. The plan will also improve the Stourbridge Wharf at the Stourbridge Branch Canal for visitors.