THE redundant former Parkside school must be demolished if the multi-million pound regeneration plan mapped out for Bromsgrove is to be completed, it is claimed.

But the Bromsgrove Society, which has 700 members and which is dedicated to preserving what is left of the town’s heritage, has been accused of trying to scupper that plan.

The prime site in Stourbridge Road is earmarked for the town’s new combined police and fire station.

However, as we revealed last week, the Bromsgrove Society has applied to English Heritage for the 96-year-old building to be listed.

But the move has angered Councillor Roger Hollingworth, leader of the Tory-controlled district council. He believes too many people in Bromsgrove are intent on looking backwards instead of to the future .

Barely able to conceal his frustration at what he sees as the society thrusting a big spoke into the town’s regeneration wheel, he said: “The Parkside site is pivotal to plans being drawn up by us and the county council, which has major property interests in the town. The domino effect of not developing Parkside will seriously jeopardise the whole town centre scheme and with it scores of potential new jobs for local people,” added Cllr Hollingworth.

The present county council offices in Windsor Street and the library will, if the ambitious plan goes ahead, move to School Drive, along with new offices for the district council.

The resulting extensive Windsor Street site would then be used for a new sports and leisure complex and shops. This, it is hoped, would encourage shoppers to walk the short distance to shops in the High Street.

Society chairman Jim Griffith said: “We are far from backward looking and want to achieve the same aim as the council only by a different route by incorporating a refurbished Parkside into the new scheme.”