Vital repair work set to start at Stourbridge multi-storey car park
VITAL repair work is set to start on Stourbridge's crumbling multi-storey car park next month.
The upper floors of the structure in the town centre will be temporarily closed while concrete repair work is carried out.
The need for essential work to be carried out was identified during an inspection schedule, Dudley Council said.
Pigeons on one of the upper floors of the Ryemarket multi-storey car park (Image: Newsquest)
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for environment, said: "Our structural team carries out regular inspection surveys to ensure the car park is safe for motorists and shoppers.
'The surveys have identified repairs needed to the concrete floors and ceilings on level two and above and these will be closed for the work to be carried out.
The top floor of the Ryemarket multi-storey car park in Stourbridge (Image: Newsquest)
'The lower floors will remain open throughout and alternative parking is available at Birmingham Street and Church Street.
'We apologise for any inconvenience while this essential work takes place.'
The car park will be closed from level two and above from Monday February 3 to enable the repair work to get underway.
The work is expected to take eight weeks to complete, with the estimated cost around £104k.
A structural report obtained in the autumn by the News through a Freedom of Information request said the five-storey structure, which was built in 1975, was designed to last for 50 years.
It said the car park was 'at, or close to, the end of its working life' and that regular maintenance would be needed to extend the anticipated design life, with works recommended to prevent partial or total collapse and falling debris.
Repair works were carried out to the facility in 2020 during the Covid lockdown, following publication of the report in April 2019, and Dudley Council confirmed in November 2024 that further works had been scheduled to take place this new year to repair areas of the flooring and ceiling.
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