Multi-million pound Walsall regeneration takes step forward as work begins on cinema development
Ambitious multi-million pound plans to regenerate Walsall town centre have taken a step forward after work started on a second £12m cinema-led development in Walsall town centre.
The huge project to build a Vue cinema and restaurants is now under way near to Tesco Extra and will be completed by the end of next year.
It comes as work has also started on the separate development at Walsall Waterfront.
And a prime site for regeneration near to Walsall Waterfront is also being taken over by Walsall Council to pave the way for redevelopment.
The Lex site is being bought by the authority to enable it to be used for possible leisure or retail purposes.
The 2.2 acres is currently owned by the Homes and Communities Agency and the council hope it will allow more development opportunities and bring jobs to the borough.
It is not known at this stage what the land will be used for and the cost of the agreement has not been disclosed.
Cordwell Property Group are behind the nine screen Vue-led scheme on land of Littleton Street West and this latest image shows how it will look.
Asian buffet chain Mimosa has already signed up to open a 370-seater restaurant and another two businesses are anticipated to be confirmed early next year,
Midlands-based Thomas Vale Construction have been appointed to carry out the redevelopment which is poised to create 200 jobs.
It aims to fit in with the Gigaport which will create a business corridor in that area of the town.
There has already been the Walsall Housing Group offices and College open, with development of a new business and sports hub and Jhoots Pharmacy having also started.
Malcolm Wilcox, of Cordwell, said they were pleased to be working with Thomas Vale who have previously worked on cinema and restaurants.
"This experience will be advantageous in ensuring delivery of this scheme and with received planning approval for all of our detailed design we are now able to make this start on site."
Paul Clarke, divisional director of Thomas Vale, said: "Appointing a local team with roots in the area ensures that the deliverability of the scheme is guaranteed.
"Allowing residents and visitors alike to enjoy the new facilities and generate emerging footfall through the town centre, creating hundreds of employment and training opportunities for local people
Walsall regeneration chief, councillor Mohammad Nazir, added: "We're looking forward to seeing work start on site and very much welcome the investment and job creation that it will bring.
"The scheme is great news for Walsall, making the town centre a more attractive place to visit, and adds to the continued regeneration activity in the Gigaport area."
Meanwhile, Walsall Council has agreed to acquire the Lex site off Wolverhampton Road and remediation work will need to be carried out.
Councillor Nazir added: "Cabinet has agreed to proceed with the purchase of the site, which will be implemented shortly.
"The Lex site has massive potential for us to create a new destination within the town centre's exciting Waterfront project.
"Once the land has been acquired from the HCA, we will consider the need to reclaim the site and bring it forward for development, creating scores of jobs in the process."
A report to the council from Richard Chadwick, team leader for town centre development, said: "During the course of undertaking due diligence on the site, advice was obtained from highway colleagues who confirmed that the site could be developed for leisure and/or retail uses using the existing access arrangements, however proposals for residential development could not be considered.
"The consequence of this is that, a residential development of the site would only be feasible if either the neighbouring holiday hypermarket site is acquired, or if an access could be agreed across that site."
A £12 million scheme is also under way at Walsall Waterfront to build an eight screen Light cinema and restaurants Chiquito, Pizza Express, Bella Italia and Hungry Horse.
Bosses at Kier Property say it is due to be finished by next winter.
It has been 20 years since Walsall town centre has had a cinema after the ABC closed in Park Street back in 1993.
The planned £12 million St Matthews Quarter development in the town centre is also expected to create around 200 new jobs overall.
Homeware store B&M and Poundland have both signed up to the scheme.