by Pete Lammas

MORE car parking spaces than ever before will be available for motorists in Bromsgrove with the opening of the town's first multi-storey car park.

More than 330 car parking spaces - 130 more than before - will be unveiled on the Churchfields site when district council chairman John Tidmarsh officially opens the car park at 12.30pm next Monday.

Councillor Tidmarsh, his wife Joan and council leader Dennis Norton will travel from the Council House to the car park in style - in a vintage open topped Lagonda for the ceremony.

Cllr Tidmarsh will unveil a plaque inside the £2.5 million three storey building - part of the £10 million partnership deal between the district council and the ASDA superstore, to improve shopping and car parking facilities in Bromsgrove's town centre.

"It will be an exciting day for Bromsgrove and we are delighted to be able, with ASDA's help, to offer this much improved facility which we hope will encourage more people from both near and far to shop in Bromsgrove," said Cllr Norton.

John Moody, the council's head of community safety and engineering, said: "Work started on the split level car park in March and it has been finished bang on time within the initial budget. It has been designed to secure car parking standards with a high level of lighting and CCTV coverage."

Richard Franks, ASDA's senior development surveyor, said: "ASDA is committed to the town centre and is delighted to have worked in partnership with the council to provide a new shoppers car park. Particular thanks must go to council leader Dennis Norton, and John Moody, who have been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition.

"We are really looking forward to launching our extended and improved store next week giving customers a wider range of products in a modern shopping environment," he added.