Plans to progress the demolition of Crown House in Kidderminster are being pushed forward by Wyre Forest District Council.

The authority is in discussions with its tenant, Telereal Trillium.  It is looking for options for the tenant to surrender the lease and undertake the demolition of the building.

Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet will consider a confidential report at its meeting on Wednesday 20 September which sets out terms of a possible deal.  This includes the building being demolished by Telereal Trillium, in exchange the Council would accept early surrender of the lease of the building.

Councillor Marcus Hart, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council said:

“I’ve always made it clear that under my leadership that the District Council will work hard to secure the removal of Crown House but that cannot come at any cost to district tax payers. I am pleased that officers have been able to work with Telereal Trillium on a potential deal that could secure the removal of the building by Telereal Trillium in exchange for them surrendering their lease early. At this stage the financial and other terms of the deal are confidential until a formal agreement is signed and the report has to be dealt with as a confidential item, but I can reassure our local community that the Cabinet has their interests at the heart of our discussion”.

Councillor Ian Hardiman, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Regeneration said:

“These negotiations are far from straightforward as the lease still has 50 years to run and understanding the financial consequences of surrendering the lease has to be considered by both sides very carefully. However we are hopeful that the principles of a deal are very close to being agreed. If the Cabinet approves them at its meeting on Wednesday 20 September we will look to Telereal Trillium to also agree them when their Board meets on Thursday 28 September.”

The freehold of the Crown House site is owned by the District Council and the land on which the building is constructed was leased in May 1972 to the Secretary of State for the Environment and was, at one time, occupied by the Valuation Office as their Midlands regional office.  The lease has since been assigned and is currently held by Telereal Trillium.  The building is currently vacant, the last tenants being the Post Office and the emergency dental practice who vacated the building in 2016.