Preferred bidder identified for former Market Hall site (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Preferred bidder identified for former Market Hall site

4:30pm Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News By Sam Greenway

A PREFERRED bidder has been identified to take on a prime town centre site where the Market Hall once stood, the Advertiser can reveal.

A formal bidding process was launched by Bromsgrove District Council in April, which aimed to attract potential developers’ bids for the 1.78-acre site between Hanover Street, St John Street, and Market Place, which includes the George House building currently occupied by Blockbuster Entertainment.

The site also includes St John Street car park, which was extended over where the Market Hall stood, before this building was demolished in 2010.

There were 13 firm offers received for the site, which was whittled down to five potential developers who were invited to present theirs proposals to an independent panel on behalf of the council.

Councillor Del Booth, who is responsible for the town centre regeneration project, said: “After some ambitious and exciting presentations a preferred developer was identified.

“At October’s cabinet meeting I expect to be able to make recommendations for the council to consider in November.”

Although the council is yet to reveal who the bidder is, under the council’s area action plan the land was earmarked as a mixed use development suitable for a leading retailer.

“During the final consultation (on the area action plan), respondents told us that they felt a national food store there would make the town centre a better place to shop,” Coun Booth said.

“Since then we have worked to unlock the potential of the cornerstone site, to create the right conditions for this kind of business to make a good fist of it.”

Council leader Roger Hollingworth said: “The independent panel said one bidder stood out by a mile.

“We are selling a major asset - this is a very exciting development for Bromsgrove.”