Former West Brom Building Society HQ sold for £3m

Black Country property specialists Bond Wolfe, based in the town, has brokered the sale of what was one of the area’s flagship sites.

Society House at 374 High Street, West Bromwich, was originally bought by Empire Property Holdings after the 169-year-old building society relocated to newly-built premises at Providence Place, West Bromwich, two years ago.

Doncaster-based Empire Property Holdings Ltd has now bought the 45,000 sq ft office building from the London-based family investment company and will be converting the building into 100 residential units.

Bond Wolfe managing partner James Mattin said: “It is fitting that in the year that Bond Wolfe celebrates our 35th anniversary, we have sold this locally iconic building.

“I am delighted that this building will be brought back to life as West Bromwich continues to progress through inward investment.

“The New Square and Providence Place developments have transformed the landscape in the town and it is important that High Street buildings are put to effective use to supplement the recent development in West Bromwich.”

The acquisition is Doncaster-based Empire Property Holdings’ first in the Midlands, having previously purchased properties in Yorkshire, Lancashire and the North East.

The company has an impressive track record for innovative commercial to residential renovations.

Speaking about Empire’s first investment in the Midlands, managing director Paul Rothwell said: “We are delighted to have been able to acquire Society House.

“The town centre location makes this an ideal property for conversion into residential units with easy access to local amenities and transport links.”

This sale takes Bond Wolfe’s aggregated sales for the month to over £6.5m as demand for non-city centre opportunities continues to grow.

Six-storey Society House was purpose-built for the building society in the 1960s and was extended and refurbished over the years.