SENIOR councillors will be making a decision on two key sites at either end of the High Street this evening, (December 3).

A marketing exercise was held to find a successful bidder for the Stourbridge Road car park site, next to the former DDS&S club, and a decision on whether to go ahead with the sale process will be made at Bromsgrove District Council's cabinet meeting.

The officers report says there were seven expressions of interest for the site, but one was excluded for not meeting the district valuer's valuation, and another offer was later withdrawn.

After being judged in a number of areas - including price, regeneration and deliverability - an offer from Cordwell Property Group was selected.

The developer, based in Belbroughton, is proposing the construction of three ground floor retail units with 35 car parking spaces. In addition, there is the potential for a further first floor unit which is "of interest to a fitness provider".

The proposed development would also be following the authority's area action plan as it would provide street frontage visible from the town centre, and approach roads would be designed in line with planners' requirements.

Cordwell has named potential tenants in its bid, although their names have not been revealed.

At the meeting, being held at the Council House, members will be asked to approve the successful bidder and for authority to be delegated to officers to enable the sale to proceed.

• Cabinet members will also be asked to vote on whether to remarket the former market hall site, between Hanover Street, St John Street and Market Place.

The site is earmarked to become a retail site, with a cinema and restaurant units next to an anchor store.

In September the Advertiser reported on the decision by previous developers, Opus, to pull out of the scheme. Opus was originally chosen as the preferred developer for the site in 2012, but it failed to conclude negotiations with the original anchor tenant and the detailed planning application, expected to be submitted in January 2013, failed to materialise.

After Opus pulled out, the council stressed the cinema operator and food retailer lined up to be tenants were still totally committed to the scheme.

Officers are now reporting back to cabinet and their report concludes the "only viable option" is for the council to remarket the site.

The remarketing exercise would add an extra £10,000 to the cost of the disposal of the site.

Officers have now reported back to cabinet and a report concludes the "only viable option" is for the council to remarket the site.

After marketing, it is proposed a closing date for expressions of interest would be set for January 30, while a special cabinet meeting would be held in February to discuss the outcome.

If members agree, delegated authority would be granted to officers with the council's appointed agent, GJS Dillon, remarketing the site with immediate effect.