AMBITIOUS plans to revamp Bromsgrove town centre over the next two decades have been revealed as the scheme received a five-figure sum to get started.

The 'Bromsgrove Town Centre Plan for 2040' proposals aim to set out a 'new vision' for the town centre, with residents to be asked for their opinions.

The North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration project has been awarded £40,000 by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

Bromsgrove District Council leader Karen May told the Advertiser the plans were very much in the early stages.

“I am absolutely delighted we have managed to attract £40,000 from the GBSLEP Board," Cllr May said.

"This was a competitive bidding process and we submitted an expression of interest for some funding for Bromsgrove Town Centre.

"The bid was based on the idea to produce a new vision for Bromsgrove Town Centre up to 2040.

"The study will consider a whole host of issues and will be subject to wider consultation and will help to provide information to feed into the Local Plan Review process.

"More announcements will be made as the project progresses.”

Praising the project, a GBSLEP statement said the scheme would 'generate new jobs and increase footfall on the high street by unlocking employment and residential land'.

It added that the scheme would also improve 'connectivity between local centres and the town centre, improving accessibility and strengthening the creative industries' sectors'.

The plan was one of several schemes across the region to win funding from GBSLEP, with others including a project seeking to redevelop government-owned assets in neighbouring Redditch.

Further afield, projects in Kidderminster, Balsall Common, Uttoxeter and Burntwood were also successful with their bids.

Simon Marks, board director at GBSLEP, said: “It has never been more critical to plan for the future of our town centres.

“Even before the Covid-19 outbreak and the huge challenges we all currently face, we knew that our towns and high streets would have to adapt to continue to prosper.

"Consumer spending habits and the rise of online retail has altered the landscape for the traditional high street.

"We hope these funds will help shape the future of our local towns and high streets and help them remain competitive as well as places people will continue to visit and invest in.”