Council acquires Kidderminster town centre Piano building and bus station

Celebrating the Council’s acquisition of the Piano Building. Councillor David Ross Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Portfolio, Councillor Marcus Hart Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Councillor Dan Morehead Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Planning and the Green Agenda, Wyre Forest District Council.

At its meeting on 16 January 2024, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet agreed to proceed with the purchase of the Piano building and adjacent bus station in Kidderminster town centre from its present owners Nuveen. The acquisition was completed on Monday 12 February 2024. 

Funded through the Government’s £17.9m Levelling Up Fund (LUF) grant for Kidderminster, the purchase will enable the Council to deliver an attractive mixed-use facility including the creation of new food and beverage spaces on the ground floor and the re-purposing of the three upper floors to provide a mix of office, co-working and hybrid working space.

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

“The Council’s acquisition of the Piano building and bus station represents another key part of the regeneration of Kidderminster town centre. We are very pleased to have completed this part of the project, which will see this important town centre heritage asset being brought back to life.

This acquisition completes the current phase of investment in Kidderminster town centre which totals £45million of government grants, district and town council contributions into the most comprehensive town centre regeneration programme in decades.“

Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Planning and the Green Agenda said,

“The project is already attracting private sector investment with firm interest from potential occupiers who see their future success in this landmark building. This is one of the strategic aims of the project - to act as a catalyst for further activity and investment in the town centre, bringing in new uses and increasing footfall. There are no anticipated changes to the operation of the existing bus station but we recognise the need for visual and cleanliness improvements and we are looking at this now.”

The next steps will be the renovation and repurposing of the empty Grade II listed Piano building – all to be completed by spring 2025.

Find out more in the brochure which sets out the details of the £45million investment in Kidderminster town centre which is supporting the most comprehensive town centre regeneration programme in decades.  Brochure at this link on the council’s website.