Developers bidding to transform Cradley shops

Around 40 people attended a public meeting last night demanding action over the shops, some of which are derelict and have been vandalised.

Council officers vowed to force landowners to board up the derelict shops in Colley Gate, Cradley, within 48 hours or safety teams will do it themselves.

Meanwhile property bosses said they were hoping the shops, between the junctions of Maple Tree Lane and Colley Lane, will be redeveloped in the long term following talks with interested parties.

Potential developers have until July 31 to register their interest in the site before offers are scrutinised and the preferred bidder revealed.

They will then seek deals to buy up the shops before submitting proposals to Dudley Council's planning department to redevelop the site.

But Dudley Council's strategic surveyor, Chris Walters, told members of Cradley Action Group that they would seek to use compulsory purchase orders if deals are not secured.

He says he had been working to market the site as a development opportunity for months in order to spark interest in a regeneration plan.

"The problem we had was that the market for residential and commercial properties had been on its knees for the last few years and it had been very difficult to get developers interested," he said.

"But we have hit this at the right time for the market and where as we had been looking at two years before we could get something off the ground we could be looking at halving that time once a developer ready and signed up for the site."

But he did add that if they have to pursue compulsory purchase orders there could be delays to the timescale.

Dudley Council owns two plots of land at either end of the site at the road junctions while the rest is in private ownership. A Chinese takeaway, a chemist and a convenience store currently occupy three of the seven stores.

Head of environmental heath, Nick Walters, told the meeting that notices have been served on owners of two derelict shops this week to order them to board them up within 48 hours.

But he said if they are not made safe, council workers will attend to do the work themselves and bill the owners for the work.

One of the campaigners, Harry Bloomer, speaking at the meeting, said: "This has been going on too long now and we need some action. We have heard a lot of council rhetoric."