£1.5m giant Walsall warehouse to create 60 jobs and fill empty units
Work on a new £1.5 million giant warehouse which will create 60 jobs is poised to start next month, ahead of opening by the end of the year.
The 44,000 sq ft JTF discount outlet is to take over empty units on the Bescot Retail Park in Walsall, and will be the first to open in the Black Country.
The company has 12 other branches in the UK and sells goods including clothing, furniture and DIY items.
Walsall Council has already approved plans to combine and convert four empty units, including JJB and Toymaster, which closed down years ago.
JTF have now also asked the council for final permission to create a garden centre within the service yard as part of the scheme off Bescot Crescent, near to Walsall's Banks's Stadium. It is anticipated work on the new warehouse will start in August for completion around winter.
Matthew Gray, senior planner for the agents, said: "The overall appearance of the units has declined in the period in which they have been vacant. They are of poor visual quality and act as blight on the overall appearance of the retail park."
The company primarily sells larger items in multi-packs at discounted rates.
The branches usually stock everything from food and drink to toiletries, toys and electrical products and other stores in the Midlands are in Kidderminster and Tamworth.
The retail park has more than 680 parking spaces and other businesses which operate there include Matalan, McDonalds and Farmfoods.
After the plans for the warehouse were approved earlier this year, Ben Copithorne from the development team said: "This is a great vote of confidence in Bescot Retail Park and a welcome boost for Walsall.
"With planning permission granted, we will now be able to complete the deal with JTF paving the way for £1.5m of investment and 60 new jobs.
"We have received a good deal of support from the community for the plans and we're grateful to everyone who played a part to secure this significant opportunity."
There were previous plans put forward for Aldi and Argos on the retail park site.
But a planning inspector was forced to rule on the proposals in 2010 after the council put forward concerns they would have a negative impact on the town centre - with the borough already well-served by such stores.
Despite getting the go-ahead from the government inspector the stores have failed to open at the park.
