Wednesbury retail park in £5m revamp creating 150 jobs

Quadrant Estates will give Wednesbury's Gallagher Retail Park a facelift to attracting more shoppers to the busy complex.

Bosses are already in talks with national restaurant chains in a bid to sign them up for the new units.

They want to increase the number of people visiting the retail park and provide more choice for shoppers to encourage them to stay longer.

It is hoped construction work on the new restaurants could begin in around six months time, if planning permission is approved, with the businesses set to open before the end of 2016.

The plans also include changes to the car parks at the retail park, which is near junction 9 of the M6, to make it easier for shoppers to get around and ease congestion. At peak times, queues can build up on the site making it difficult for to drivers to get around.

The new restaurants will be built at the centre of the site, off Axletree Way, on land which is currently used for parking.

They will join existing food chains including Pizza Hut, Burger King and Starbucks as well as shops such as Ikea, Next, Decathlon and Boots.

James Bidwell, associate director for Quadrant Estates said more than £5m would be invested.

He added: "We are talking to a number of a national chains about putting them in there.

"This will create jobs and we hope increase footfall. We don't know how many jobs exactly but I think three reasonable sized restaurants would create around 150 full and part-time jobs.

"There will be other jobs during construction and hopefully it will generate extra business for other retailers with a ripple effect.

"We would hope, with a fair wind, that the restaurants could open in the second half of next year."

A planning application for the development has been submitted to Sandwell Council with a decision expected within the next two months.

There will be an additional 101 car park spaces created by the changes to the layout as well as footpaths and a pedestrian crossing.

Mr Bidwell said at the moment congestion was caused by a vast number of shoppers choosing just to park at the Next and TK Maxx end of the site.

It is hoped by connecting all of the car parks and making it easier for motorists to drive from one end to the other, it will stop the build of up queues on busy days.

The planning application submitted to Sandwell Council by agent Alban Henderson on behalf of Quadrant Estates said: "The reorganisation of parking arrangements, and the creation of further dedicated staff parking areas will create additional spaces for shoppers."

Firms already based at the retail park have been consulted on the plans.

It is the latest jobs boost announced for Wednesbury and follows hot on the heels of Lidl announcing 500 positions will be created at its new distribution centre. Work is due to begin on the 450,000 sq ft base, which will be built a short distance from junction 9 of the M6, later this year.

Wednesbury councillor Bob Lloyd said he was pleased to hear the plans to create more jobs at Gallagher Retail Park.

"New jobs is good news for Wednesbury and the wider Black Country. I hope we can ensure that local people get the chance to fill these positions.

"Wednesbury seems to be attracting a lot of investment - the retail park is in a prime site because of it being so close to the M6 and draws people in. This is great news."