Work is about to start on the final phase of a major multi-million pound regeneration project in Bewdley town centre.

Wyre Forest District Council has appointed Worcester-based construction firm Montel Civil Engineering to complete a new lower level public car park on the site of the former Bewdley Medical Centre in Load Street.

It’s the final phase of a major regeneration scheme that has given the town a brand new state of the art medical centre, library and pharmacy, freeing up land in the heart of Bewdley for extra car parking spaces to attract visitors and shoppers into the town centre.

Cllr Ian Hardiman, Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Regeneration said:

“We are pleased to have appointed Montel to complete the final phase of this multi million pound project which has seen the opening of a new medical centre and library on part of the former public car park at Dog Lane and new parking spaces created on the site those buildings previously occupied.

“This project received resounding public support from Bewdley residents in 2012 when the GPs held a public meeting to discuss the proposals and I’m pleased that the council has been able to respond by putting those proposals into place.”

Work will start this month and the new car park will be open by Easter 2018.

Cllr Rebecca Vale, Cabinet Member for Operational Services said:

“We promised there would be more parking spaces for Bewdley as part of this project - the new spaces on the lower level at Load Street and the re-laying of the existing upper car park will mean that Bewdley will see a net increase in spaces overall when the scheme is completed.

“We realise that the shortage of spaces during the construction of the new medical centre put the town under pressure and I’d like to thank the traders, residents and visitors to Bewdley for your continuing support during these works.”

The council has already invested in extensions to Dog Lane and Gardners Meadow car parks to add some 55 new spaces to the town and with the completion of the new car park at Lower Load Street a further 50 parking spaces means an overall net increase of at least 20 spaces.