CONTROVERSIAL plans to relocate Kidderminster ‘Hub’ to a new depot just outside of town have moved a step closer.

Planners gave the green light to a £3million redevelopment of buildings in Green Street to create a new centre.

The project includes demolishing inefficient office buildings and developing historic buildings and will house the council’s customer contact team – which is currently situated in the Town Hall and referred to as the ‘Hub’.

Wyre Forest District Council will save £50,000 in rent given to the town council each year.

But the plans prompted fierce criticism from opposition councillors who raised concerns about access to services for many residents and the financial hole it would leave the town council.

Liberal Democrat and Independent members called in the application before Christmas.

But council leader Marcus Hart said: “A conditions survey on the state of the building identified infrastructure repairs that would cost half a million pounds alone were needed.

“Our Depot2020 investment programme will not only create efficient and improved facilities for our workforce, it will also allow us to open up the site to other businesses creating a new income stream from the rental of new industrial units.

“The new improved site will also enable us to bring together the Hub team currently in Kidderminster Town Hall and revenues and benefits staff currently at Wyre Forest House, offering an improved service to customers and creating at least £50,000 savings each year.

“I know there has been criticism about moving the Hub a few hundred metres out of the town centre, but we have to be realistic.

“The number of people visiting the Hub has halved in the last five years. There will be parking facilities for customers at the new centre – which there are not currently at the Hub - and we will be working closely with bus companies to ensure there are adequate bus stops and pedestrian crossings for those visitors coming by bus and on foot.”

Once planning permission – certain to a number of conditions - has been granted the council will start a competitive tendering process for the main design and construction work. Work could start on site as early as this summer with a target completion date of autumn 2019.