Stoford set to appoint contractors for Co-op scheme

STOFORD Retail is set to appoint contractors for a new retail project in West Bromwich. The Birmingham developer has drawn up a shortlist of four companies for the tender, which involves the construction of a new food store for Midlands Co-operative Society Ltd in West Bromwich.

Sandwell Borough Council has given the go-ahead for the £2.2m eco-friendly scheme that will help revitalise the Hill Top area of the town.

The 9,000-sq ft single-storey freehold development is on the long-disused site of a former motor dealership. Work on the scheme will start in January and is due for completion in September.

The attractive, new-look Co-operative food store has been designed by architects 3DReid. It will incorporate illuminated signage, a heat-reducing brise soleil canopy and low-emission long-life aluminium framed glazing.

Level entry access, automatic sliding doors, and associated parking and landscaping have been incorporated into the design.

The development fits into the society’s current strategy of using brownfield sites as bases for its new stores. It has recently converted former pubs in Bloxwich and Tividale into new convenience stores.

Carl Stacey, director of Stoford Retail, said: “We are delighted that permission has been granted to build a new Co-operative food store at Hill Top and we are now going ahead with the tendering with a view to starting work on site early in the New Year.  

“The store will transform a long disused site, boost the local economy, and create new jobs in a major area earmarked for regeneration.”

David Melhuish, Development and Facilities Manager for Midlands Co-operative Society, commented: “We are pleased that this project is getting off the ground and confident that Stoford Retail will deliver a quality unit on time and on budget.”

Meanwhile, Telford & Wrekin Council has awarded a major contract for the first significant phase of works to regenerate the Southwater area of the town centre.

McPhillips (Wellington) is due to start work on site on Monday (December 6) and will continue until November 2011.

The works are focussed on getting the site ready for major public and private sector investment over the next 10-15 years.

Work will include the draining of the Southwater Lake to create a development plot for Telford & Wrekin Council’s new Civic Offices, earthworks to re-grade the site and prepare it for development – this will involve moving earth around the site to create plots for the new Civic Offices, the Learning and Media Centre, Meeting Point House and a multi storey car park as well as number of other office development sites.

Council leader Andrew Eade said: “I am delighted that we have been able to award the contract to prepare the site for development to a local company and the beginning of these works will be a significant milestone for the Southwater project.”