The green light has been given for Stafford's former Wilko store to be pulled down.

The Shopmobility and public toilets on Broad Street are also set to be demolished to make way for redevelopment as part of Stafford Borough Council's plans to redevelop the site.

The borough council acquired the Broad Street shop, which has been vacant since 2024, last year.

On Wednesday (8 July), members of the planning committee granted prior approval for demolition to begin.

Committee members were told on Wednesday that the public toilet block on the site would be retained for as long as possible however. Councillor Bryan Cross asked: "Are we not going to have any public toilets in Stafford when this is knocked down?"

He added that the site had already been fenced off ahead of the committee making its decision on the planning application.

He said: "I thought it was a bit presumptuous of whoever it was, deciding what the decision was going to be by this committee."

Michelle Smith, the council's economic growth and strategic partnership manager, told Wednesday's meeting: "I know what it looks like with the Heras fencing, but the Heras fencing won't be in place once demolition starts.

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"It's purely because there are works prior to the granting of permission that can be done.

"It's called a soft strip, getting stuff out of the building in preparation for demolition.

"I know it looks presumptuous, but there isn't any presumption there of a decision.

"In terms of the toilets, prior to including some outline plans for what we would like to see in terms of redevelopment in the town centre, that site as a whole would be parcelled up and then we would look to find somebody who would be interested in developing it.

"If you leave bits of buildings on a site it can make it difficult to get interest in that site.

"But since we've bought the site, you will know the college have shown an interest and therefore we've got some flexibility on this.

"The intention is not to pull the toilets down until we absolutely have to, so they will remain in use and accessible until for as long as possible."