West Bromwich multi-storey car park to be bulldozed

The derelict Queens Square car park has been largely closed off due to safety fears for the last few years with council bosses keen to get rid of it.

Sandwell Council revealed it would cost more than £6 million to carry out the necessary improvements to make the Bull Street car park safe again.

The multi-storey had been earmarked as the site of a new ice rink until plans collapsed last year when council chiefs said they favoured a 'more comprehensive' development of the area.

The authority has now revealed they want the car park to be knocked down and the site to be incorporated in the regeneration of the High Street and Bull Street area.

More than 100 homes have sprung up at the junction as part of the Eastern Gateway scheme which has continued the transformation of the area, following on from the creation of the £200 million New Square shopping centre.

Council bosses confirmed there is interest in the car park site for a mixed-use development.

Council leader Steve Eling said: "We have come to a crunch point with the multi-storey car park and I can't justify spending a boat load of money on it.

"It was built back in the early 70s and it's a horrible car park. The spaces aren't big enough for the cars of today.

"It hasn't got a long-term future and we have got to make a decision on it.

"That area would make a good site for high-value development and it's time to move forward with it."

Other council-owned buildings, including Shaftesbury House offices in West Bromwich and the old Smethwick Hall Sports Centre, which has been disused for more than 20 years, are also set to be knocked down in a bid to create development opportunities.

The Queens Square car park once had space for 735 cars but many of its floors are now closed.

Councillor Eling said the authority was likely to bid for funding to help pay for the demolition.

A multi-million town centre ice rink was proposed for the site in 2013 and hailed as a major boon for West Bromwich.

However, the plans stalled and eventually fell through last year when the council suggested it didn't offer value for money.

The plans are set to be agreed by the council's cabinet on Wednesday.