Former Walsall police station set to be torn down by developers
The former Walsall police station building is to be demolished under plans submitted by its new owners.
Less than two months after Corbally Property Investments acquired the historic six-storey facility on Green Lane, the firm has lodged an application to tear it down – paving the way for redevelopment of the site.
Police officers were moved out of the 36,500 sq ft building in October 2016 after the station had served as the town’s primary police base for 50 years.
Corbally bought it in November for less than the £1 million valuation, which touted it as for ‘mixed-use’ development.
The station now looks set to disappear from the town after the plans were lodged with Walsall Council.
A retail development has been mooted for the site but Walsall councillor Doug James believes that the public should be allowed to have a say in what eventually happens to the land.
He said: “The building has been a landmark on the ring road for many years but the thing I’m more concerned about with is the money being generated from the sale of the police station going into frontline services.
“The past is the past and what we should be looking at is a community consultation on what happens with that part of the town.
“It shouldn’t just be down to the developers with the big money.”
Who is going to invest?
Councillor James said he was uncertain whether major firms could be attracted to a new shopping development.
He added: “We have got a BHS shop in Walsall that still hasn’t been filled and that’s a crying shame.
“It boils down to who is going to invest in that part of the town.”
Bloxwich police station is now the borough’s force headquarters, while dozens of officers serving Paddock, Palfrey, Pleck and
St Matthews have moved into Walsall Civic Centre.
There was said to be a lot of interest in the landmark station property, which includes offices, a gym, kitchen and also internal car parking. At least one solid offer has been made for the building in the last 12 months, however, the deal fell through.
The station was one of 27 to be closed by cash-strapped West Midlands Police in a bid to generate cash. Shirley station in Solihull has also been sold and the two deals have resulted in a combined £2.25m for the force.
Selling off eight police buildings across the West Midlands has netted more than £4m in total.
