Landmark buildings set to be demolished to make way for new homes and businesses

Council chiefs have given the go-ahead to knocking down the two buildings along with the former education offices Shaftesbury House, the multi storey car park in West Bromwich town centre and the former Crosswells Road Depot in Oldbury.

The former gas showroom on West Bromwich High Street did look set to be saved earlier this year by the Black Country Living Museum as part of £21 million plan to relocate the 1940s property to its base in Dudley.

But, these plans were dismissed by the council as being "pie in the sky", claiming no offer was ever made for the derelict property.

Councillor Paul Moore added: "They haven't come forward with a credible proposal - there isn't anything to save. If they did come forward with an offer then great, but I regard it as pie in the sky at this point. We set a deadline and they haven't come back to us with anything.

"The building is dangerous and the council need to take action, it's been in a state of disrepair for over 20 years and half the pavement is cordoned off nearby it. The Black Country Living Museum might have aspirations to save it, but they need to offer the cash to do it.

"As all these demolitions will happen later this year, there is still an opportunity that they could come forward, but it's very unlikely unless they have a concrete proposal."

Councillor Moore said at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the site will go on the market to make way for either a new commercial development or new residential development after it's demolished.

The multi story car park in West Bromwich Town Centre will also be bulldozed as the council claimed it couldn't justify spending money on the "tatty" site.

Councillor Moore said that the council has been bouncing around ideas for this site for the last few years.

He added: "I can't justify spending the necessary capital to bring this car park up to modern day standards.

"What I and the cabinet see here, is a strategic site in West Bromwich Town Centre that can be brought forward for a more comprehensive redevelopment, similar to what we have on the opposite side of the road with the Eastern gateway scheme.

"We want to see high value development there – either new houses or a mix of new houses and commercial development - it's not just the base of where the car park is, there's is a larger site there.

"Whilst it costs money to knock it down, we make it viable for a future offer rather than it being a tatty car park from the 1960's past it's use."

Elsewhere in West Bromwich, Shaftesbury House, a former council building which has suffered repeated vandalism in recent years, will also be knocked down for potential new housing or commercial properties.

The site of Crosswells Road Depot in Oldbury will make way for new council houses under the plans announced at Sandwell's Council's most recent cabinet meeting.

Council Leader Steve Eling said he was pleased with the plans, adding: "If a building has got to go, it might as well go, rather than continuing to moulder for years.

"Sometimes building are past their useful life. Grotty, derelict building work against what we are trying to achieve.

"In regards to the car park – it was built many years ago when everyone drove an A35, it's almost impossible to park a modern car in those spaces.