WITH the workers gone, the Kays factory stands empty.

The large site, which stretches across a substantial area of St John's, Worcester, is owned by Littlewoods Shop Direct.

There have been previous applications to demolish the building and replace it with housing, but the city council has already stressed it's keen to see it remain as employment land.

The company has not revealed any fresh plans to redevelop the factory and no new planning applications have been put forward for the site. A spokesman for Shop Direct said: "There are no plans formulated at this stage but we will be using the yard for trailer movement and vehicle maintenance."

Worcester City Council is keen that the site can be used for jobs.

Nobody from the planning department was available to comment but deputy leader of the council, Councillor Barry Mackenzie-Williams said: "We are very determined not to lose any employment land."

Coun Martin Clark, cabinet member for urban renaissance, agreed.

He said: "The planning department is very hopeful of making sure we get employers on the site."

Bernard Mills, chairman of Kays Heritage Group, said he believed Shop Direct, which took over Kays in 2003, would take its time deciding what to do.

He said: "It will possibly play a waiting game, just leave it and see what happens. Of course in the past there have been a number of plans for 202 Bransford Road but now that is part of a conservation area, I don't know what will happen."

Worcester's historic cricket pavilion is also on the land owned by Shop Direct. The 130-year-old building, which sits on the Cinderella Sports Ground next door to the Kays factory, was the original home of Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Last summer it was saved from demolition when Worcester City Council included it in a conservation area.

Mr Mills said: "It was left open and over the last six months the snow, hail and rain have got in and caused a lot of damage."

Councillor Dave Clark, who spearheaded a campaign to save the black and white building, said: "We are trying to ensure the owners keep this local treasure in good condition."