Super Stirchley store

In December 2012 I noted the supermarket tussle in Stirchley over rival plans for a new supermarket, http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2012/12/from-depths-of-one-pool-into-another.html, which saw Tesco emerge as the preferred developer in 2007.  Eight years on the Birmingham Post has reported that Tesco will start work on it's new Stirchley store and town centre development next year, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/construction-stirchley-town-centre-tesco-10613919.

An artists impression of the planned new Tesco store in Stirchley, reproduced from http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/construction-stirchley-town-centre-tesco-10613919

Tesco will begin preliminary works on its Stirchley store and town centre development in January ready for full construction to get under way in May.http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/construction-stirchley-town-centre-tesco-10613919

The store survived Tesco's revised list of proposed developments in January which saw the supermarket chain abandon plans for a store on Bristol Street, on the site of Monaco House, and it's closure of it's Edgbaston store at Five Ways.

An image of what the proposed Bristol Street would have looked like before it was scrapped.

For local residents this marks the end of a fifteen year series of plans and debates over a supermarket for the area.  Recently Lidl announced plans to replace a Fitness First Gym and adjacent Bowling alley with a new store nearby, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/councillor-criticises-plan-knock-down-10458544. 

Construction of the new Tesco store will begin in January and bring forward the regeneration of the area which has been started with the reopening of the Stirchley Baths building following a £3.3m lottery funded conversion into a community centre, http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2012/12/from-depths-of-one-pool-into-another.html.

The Grade II listed building opened in 1911 but has been transformed into a multipurpose hall alongside cafe and meeting rooms.

The centre has taken Stirchley Baths as it's name as a link to its history as a swimming baths.  You can find out more about Stirchley Baths at: http://stirchleybaths.org/