Stafford's former Wilko store is set to be pulled down as part of town centre regeneration.

Stafford Borough Council acquired the Broad Street shop, which has been vacant since 2024.

Now the authority has submitted plans to demolish the building, as well as the nearby Shopmobility site.

The application form stated: "Demolition of the existing structures will enable the site to be brought forward for development contributing to the regeneration and redevelopment of Stafford Town Centre."

A site notice stated that demolition was proposed to take place "on or as soon as 30 March 2026″.

The work is expected to take just over three months to complete.

Wilko shut in 2023 as part of shop closures across the country.

The unit reopened just weeks later as a Poundland branch after being snapped up by Pepco, but this store closed the following year.

advertisement

The town centre's former Co-op Department Store and Guildhall Shopping Centre have already been demolished as part of Stafford Borough Council's ambitious town centre regeneration plans.

Stafford Borough Council was awarded £14.3m by the Government in 2020 to help fund the project and the sites are earmarked for future commercial, retail and residential use.

Demolition costs for the former shopping centre and department costs came in lower than estimated.

This meant there was money available from the Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) to purchase the former Wilko store and 10-12 Gaolgate Street, two retail units attached to the former Co-op Department Store.

The council's deputy leader Rob Kenney, who has responsibility for town centres, said last year: "This has created a larger footprint for the transformation of the town centre which will prove to be another draw for major investors.

"Unfortunately, these buildings would have likely remained empty without council intervention and investors have praised us for taking the initiative by acquiring these sites and undertaking the appropriate groundwork that will attract developers to invest in Stafford. This work has not only generated interest in these sites but in Stafford town centre generally."