Hadley centre is going in £2.3m revamp bid

Bulldozers moved on to the site of a shopping centre in Telford today as demolition work began on a £2.3 million regeneration project.

The redevelopment of Hadley centre will include a Tesco Express supermarket and six other shops.

But before construction can begin, the Gladstone House shopping precinct and maisonettes will be demolished.

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Steve Flavell, from Paveway, the company which will oversee the redevelopment of the site, said his workmen were looking forward to getting on site and building the new shops.

"We're excited about working in the area again. We're looking forward to making a start at the end of July.

"We'll be starting foundations and we're looking at getting the steel frames up by the end of August. Once it's come down the building process is quite quick.

"We're looking at a February completion date for the shell, then someone else will be finishing the inside."

The demolition work will be carried out by City Demolition Birmingham.

Darren Lynch, from City Demolition, said he and a team of up to 10 people will carry out the work.

"We start demolition a week on Monday and it will be down and flattened in five days," he said.

"Then it's the processing of separating the hardcore and roof to reuse. We recycle all the plastic window frames, all the wood gets sent off to a chipboard company to recycle and the bricks get recycled in block paving."

Gladstone House is the first phase of work scheduled to be carried out in Hadley. Phase two of the project will include three more mixed use stores and 24 homes.

Councillor Kuldip Sahota, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said he was pleased to see the work begin. He added: "It has looked a bit tired for the last 10 years. I'm pleased that it's come to fruition now.

"The new centre should be up and ready by next March if it all goes well according to plan, and hopefully we also have in the pipeline phase two as well.

"Hopefully we will start in the summer 2013. There are negotiations going on with the traders and we hope we can get everyone on board."

The town's other shops and the market will continue trading as normal during the work.

Residents have welcomed the scheme and have been working with Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council and Telford & Wrekin Council to develop the scheme. They hope that the new shops will help to kick-start the local economy.

Work is being carried out as part of Telford & Wrekin Council's Borough Towns Initiative, which has also seen redevelopment work carried out in Wellington, Madeley, Newport and Oakengates.

Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for borough towns development, said he was pleased that work had started in Hadley.

"The works will ultimately result in Hadley having a well located, modern shopping provision to serve the local community and will help kick-start the local economy," he said.

"There has been significant work carried out to regenerate centres around the borough and I am delighted that work has now also started in Hadley.

"This is a much-needed regeneration scheme and I'm very much looking forward to the demolition being completed and work starting on the construction of the supermarket and other new shops," Councillor Overton added.

Shoppers visiting the Hadley District Centre during the work can still park off Haybridge Road and there are no road closures.