Paintballing venue planned for shopping centre

The paintball venue woould be on the upper floors of the Park Place Shopping Centre in Walsall

An indoor paintball venue could be opened up on the empty first floor of a shopping centre.

Plans have been put forward for a Japanese paintball place on the upper floors of the Park Place Shopping Centre in Park Street, Walsall.

Half a dozen small independent retailers were told to leave the first floor of the centre back in 2021 under the owner’s plans to revitalise the then-half empty space, but it has stood largely disused ever since.

The plans were put forward by LCP Properties, which would enable Airsoft to create the facility.

Major chain stores such as Boots, Max Spielmann and Greggs remain on the ground floor, although the area took another hit when Wilkos closed its doors last year.

In the application, LCP said Airsoft would be open 5pm-11pm Monday to Fridays and 9am-7pm weekends, with a maximum of 50 players per event with six members of staff on duty.

“The development would not result in a loss of amenity through noise or disturbance for any neighbours," the firm added.

Walsall Council planning officers are expected to make a decision on the proposal in April.

The mall, previously called the Quasar Centre, has been in the town for more than 40 years and once boasted an indoor market alongside all the shops.

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

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