Regeneration scheme to start as funding signed off

Council leader Tony Johnson and deputy leader Josh Newbury have said the scheme was "ambitious"

Building work to regenerate a Staffordshire town centre will begin later this year after councillors signed off £9m in funding.

Cannock Chase Council is set to acquire units in a Cannock shopping centre, and the money will go towards demolishing a former multi-storey car park.

Cabinet members approved the actions after being given an update on the progress of the project, which received £20m from the government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2021.

As part of the plans, a new northern gateway and cultural hub will be created as well as improvements to the Beecroft Road Car Park and the demolition of the multi-storey facility.

The proposals include redevelopment of the former multi-storey car park and indoor market hall site to make way for a new cultural hub as well as a northern gateway

Deputy leader Josh Newbury said as senior councillors met to discuss the funding, that officials had been "working hard behind the scenes" to develop the project for the Levelling Up Fund scheme.

“In return, we will be delivering a car park with a much better layout, wider bays, disabled parking spaces, EV charging points, an area for bikes, trees and new signage; a much better welcome into the town from the northern side with a new pedestrian crossing, the area opened up and a new cafe and last but not least, the removal of the eyesore that the multi-storey car park has become.”

When the Levelling Up Fund bid was submitted the total cost of the project was £44m, a report to the cabinet said.

In February 2022 the authority committed £17.2m alongside the £20m government funding, and a further £6.8m was expected to be met by an unsecured private sector investor in respect of the proposed retirement living complex.

But rises in construction costs and inflation meant original project was not deliverable within the agreed budget, which led to council officers and the government working together agree a way forward.

Revisions were discussed and agreed in February.

The council is set to consult further with residents and businesses on phase two of its redevelopment plans later this year.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.