HUNDREDS of people learned all about the history of part of Worcester currently undergoing a £75 million redevelopment.

People packed into the city’s Guildhall to hear historians and archaeologists talk about Lowesmoor through the ages.

The event, organised by developer Carillion Richardson with the help of the speakers, was opened by the city’s mayor Councillor Mike Layland on Saturday afternoon.

He then handed over to Neil Rudge of Carillion who outlined the details of the development which includes the creation of an Asda supermarket and a 535-space multi-storey car park.

The supermarket alone will create up to 350 jobs while hundreds more could also be in the pipeline as and when 18 other units are filled with shops and restaurants.

Selwyn Rowley, of Carillion Richardson, said: “The scheme has taken a lot of hard work and 10 years to put together but the results speak for themselves. The development will revitalise an important area of the city centre and create significant employment while also making an important contribution to the understanding of Worcester’s past.”

Throughout the development Carillion Richardson has been working closely with council historians and archaeologists to enable them to record the heritage of the site.

During the presentations the history of Worcester’s industrial past was explored including the massive vinegar works and the excavation of the Grainger Porcelain factory, both of which will be referenced in the new scheme.

With the high level of interest in Worcester’s Civil War past, there was a surge of visitors interested in learning about the defences and the findings from a trench excavated near Silver Street as part of the Lowesmoor redevelopment.

At Saturday’s event an associated exhibition showed the vision for the scheme – turning Lowesmoor into a major new shopping and leisure facility – but also includes conservation work to preserve important buildings on the site and bring them back into use.