Residents back £4m Stourport revamp

Plans for a multi-million pound market hall in a Worcestershire town have moved a step forward after residents gave it their backing.

Wyre Forest District Council has finished public consultation over the £4m project in Stourport, with hundreds of people taking part.

It means a preferred option has now been selected for the site on Bridge Street, set to feature a large hall and outside space for al fresco-style dining.

Councillor Dan Morehead, cabinet member for regeneration, said the plan "respects the town's heritage, works well for day-to-day-use and brings long-term benefits" to Stourport.

The site is currently a derelict car park, with the council looking to attract artisan food and drink makers to the site.

Under the plans, a new building would offer views across the historic basin, with the aim of increasing tourism in the town.

During consultation, people were asked to support one of two possible design options, and backed "option two" which included the potential for a mezzanine level offering extra floor space and greater flexibility of use.

A total of 308 people got involved in the consultation, with the council saying 67 per cent of those who selected a preferred option backed option two.

Morehead added: "I want to say thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views.

"We received a great deal of feedback from residents, businesses, visitors and key stakeholders.

"Every comment has been carefully reviewed and considered alongside the consultation results, and the project team has now agreed a clear way forward."

The site used to be home to a garage, but was bought by the council more than a decade ago for car parking use.

The council has made previous attempts to market the land to private buyers - including a plea to investors last summer - but in recent months has focused on delivering a regeneration scheme in-house.

The next step is to submit a planning application, which is expected in late summer.

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