Demolition of eyesore Cavendish House still no closer
A date to demolish eyesore Cavendish House is yet to be set – despite approval being granted more than six months ago.
The former offices, which are seen by thousands of motorists a week using Duncan Edwards Way, have long been earmarked for redevelopment.
The plans for demolition were backed by Dudley Council in early April, in a bid to make way for a multi-million retail and leisure development, along with new homes.
But six months on the demolition of the seven-storey building, which has been previously described as a “monstrosity”, has still not taken place.
It comes as Dudley North MP Ian Austin is set to hand a petition into the local authority which has amassed more than 1,300 signatures, calling on them to speed up the process and get on with the demolition.
A spokesman for Dudley Council said they are “doing all we can” to move the project forward.
Mr Austin said: “Almost 1,400 people have signed our petition calling for this eyesore to be demolished. It has been standing empty and derelict for decades. It presents a terrible image of Dudley and must be deterring and delaying investment in the town.
“I am also worried that it is dangerous as residents have told me people have been getting in there.
"I want the council to sort it out, get it knocked down and get on with the redevelopment they have been promising me since I got elected 14 years ago.”
Cavendish House has been empty since the 1990s.
Councillor Ian Kettle, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, added: “We are committed to delivering our exciting regeneration programme for Dudley town centre and the Cavendish site is an important part of this.
“We are aware of the petition – I can assure the people of Dudley that we are doing all we can to move this project forward and will be embarking on the next stages very soon.
“Funding for demolition of the building has been secured by the owners from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and they are now in the process of agreeing the final terms for this grant.”
Mr Austin will hand the petition to Dudley Council at their Priory Road offices on Friday, October 18. You can view the petition here.
