WORK is under way to redevelop an eyesore former newsagents in Thelwall which has blighted the lives of residents.

Construction workers have wasted no time in getting on site after plans to redevelop the abandoned shop, on the corner of Thelwall New Road and Alderley Road, were given the green light by the borough council.

The scheme will deliver a new shop and a flat on the ground floor, along with three further flats on the first and second floor.

Alexander Giovedi, from principal contractor Warrington Construction Ltd, says the scheme – which will provide five parking spaces – is expected to take around six months to complete.

He said: “We stripped it out last week and now obviously we’ve got an empty shell, the architects are coming back in to see what works and what does not.

“From there on, all of the structural works will commence.”

Warrington Guardian:

The building in Thelwall

The developer says the project has been in planning for two and a half years because a scheme which worked for both residents and the developer was needed.

Architect Roger White labelled it as a ‘sensitive’ site in a key location but believes it will ‘uplift’ the area.

He added: “We are hoping it is cohesive with the buildings next door, so it ties into the area.

“We have been back and to and had meetings with the planners and the scheme has been reduced.

“It has been reduced to a scale that the planners can support, so we’ve got one shop and more flats.”

The decision to approve the application was welcomed by Cllr Ian Marks (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall), a former council leader.

He said the building has been an eyesore for ‘years and years’ and residents are ‘well and truly fed up’ with having to live close to it for so long.

But he did express concerns over parking provision, as well as safety partly caused by a lack of visibility.