Economic development and regeneration
Talbot Park
Talbot Park
The transformation of Worcester Street will see the replacement of the step entry with a new green community space with winding graduated steps which connect to Bromsgrove Street car park. This work follows the demolition of the step entry and former Woolworths, Megavalue, Poundland and Sigma Aquatics buildings in 2023/2024.
The newly created park and green space in Worcester Street Kidderminster is to be named Talbot Park in celebration of the town’s champion who died in 2019, Charles Talbot MBE. Councillors have dedicated the space – to be launched and open to the public in Spring 2026 - as a mark of affection and respect for someone who worked tirelessly in Kidderminster and Wyre Forest public life for almost 60 years.
Talbot Park, which connects Worcester Street with the Lion Fields site, has been created and developed with funding from the government’s Future High Streets Fund and is a key part of the Council’s adopted vision for the town: ‘Kidderminster 2040’.
The regeneration of this area of town is being made possible through the government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF).
The Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) is a government funding initiative to transform struggling high streets into places that people want to work, visit and interact with each other.
Kidderminster has been awarded £20.5 million from this fund.
In celebration of Charles Talbot MBE
Mr Charles Talbot MBE was born in 1931 and was educated at Shrewsbury School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
He qualified as a solicitor and joined the family firm Talbot and Talbot in Church Street, Kidderminster and later, also worked as a consultant solicitor for Painters.
He served as a Kidderminster Borough councillor for 15 years from 1959 and became the town’s youngest ever mayor aged 33. Mr Talbot's successes through his community work in Kidderminster included the setting up of Kidderminster and District Youth Trust (KDYT). As a founder Trustee he was heavily involved in the establishment of the Museum of Carpet in 2012 following a 31-year campaign.
Mr Talbot was also instrumental in the twinning of Kidderminster with the German town of Husum. For his work, Mr Talbot was awarded Husum’s Golden Ring of Honour in 2002 and was the second person to ever receive it.
When the Borough disappeared and was replaced by Wyre Forest District Council in 1974, Mr Talbot campaigned strongly for the creation of Kidderminster’s own town council - a dream which was realised in 2015.
Pictured: Councillor Marcus Hart with Mrs Jean Talbot at the newly named Talbot Park in Kidderminster town centre.
Artists impressions
Latest project update: 8 December 2025
The video and photo gallery shows drone footage at Talbot Park.
Commentary by Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration:
Good afternoon everyone. Here, behind you can see the work that we're doing to the Connectivity Project here in Kidderminster, and just really pleased I've been able to spend some time with Dan from McPhillips. He's been giving me a really good update on the progress that they're making on this key project for the town centre. As you can see behind me, we're now at the stage where the works are starting above the ground and I have to say that they're doing a really high-quality job for us here and we're currently on track to have this completed by December this year. Of course, from a wider economic regeneration of of Kidderminster, this piece of work is critical to open up the Lion Fields development which is to those who know the former Glade site whereas we've publicised, we're looking to build up to 150 high quality homes on that site. So this is a really key part of the regeneration of Kidderminster town centre, and we've now got the hoarding down just behind the camera, so anyone who wants to come down, you'll be able to see the progress that they're making now. So, I'll get Dan just to give a couple of words just about what we will see in those next few phases of this development. But yeah, I'm really pleased with what I've seen today. So, Dan, great work.
Commentary by Dan Redmond, McPhillips (Wellington) Limited:
Thank you. Next few phases now is this week the rock panelling has now been done to number 15 High Street. So, it's a big impact now as you come down Worcester Street you can now see that all the ugly grey has now been covered over by the new rock panelling. Behind us, the staircases have gone in. We're now starting to do the small dwarf walls. They're being installed as you go up. The rest of the retaining walls will start to go in after the back of those and then hopefully in the next few weeks you'll start seeing all the paving works to the front of Worcester Street because we put the new curb line in that'll all start to go in, and then slowly then phasing in all the landscaping works off the back of that as well. So yeah, all going well currently.
Commentary by Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration:
Great stuff. Thanks for that Dan. I urge you all come down have a look. Great progress being made and we're going to see a real significance to the town centre and obviously this will enable us then as I said that Lion Fields development is a critical part of it and we continue to invest in Kidderminster and make it a great place for you. Thank you.
Progress of the project
Learn all about the different stages of the regeneration of Worcester Street via the creation of Talbot Park, from the history of the site to the vision and project updates.
The transformation of Worcester Street will see the replacement of the step entry with a new green community space with winding graduated steps which connect to Bromsgrove Street car park. The site was formerly home to a step entry and former Woolworths, Megavalue, Poundland and Sigma Aquatics buildings.
Before the transformation started, artist's impression images were produced to illustrate how the site would look once completed. These can be found below.
Demolition of the step entry and former Woolworths, Megavalue, Poundland and Sigma Aquatics buildings took place during 2023 and 2024. Photos of this can be found below.
Transformation underway - August 2024
The video shows Councillor Marcus Hart (Leader of Wyre Forest District Council), Councillor Dan Morehead (Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Planning and the Green Agenda) and Stuart MacKenzie (Contract Director McPhillips (Wellington) Limited) talking about the transformation of Worcester Street now underway in Kidderminster Town Centre.
Video transcript
Commentary by Councillor Marcus Hart, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council:
It's great to be here in Bromsgrove Street at the back of where the old Woolworths and Littlewoods were. It’s an exciting day, because the next phase of the Connectivity Project to open up this area of Kidderminster is commencing today.
Behind me will be the urban park and it will link up to Bromsgrove Street, because we've got a fantastic plan to regenerate this area of Kidderminster.
The plan is for the work to be completed and the park to open in spring 2025.
Commentary by Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration:
It's really encouraging that we're here today, seeing the start of the development of the green space in the Town Centre. Critically, the main element of this project is to connect the Town Centre to the former Glades site, which is directly behind me. There's a live feasibility study for this site going on at the moment, and that will be the next phase of the regeneration of Kidderminster Town Centre.
Commentary by Stuart Mackenzie, Contracts Director at McPhillips (Wellington Ltd):
McPhillips are very proud to be part of this new scheme in Kidderminster, which will be offering design and build opportunities to improve the local area and its connectivity.
The overall scheme will be bringing a much needed open space and link to the main Town Centre.
Image gallery showing progress during August 2025, with the installation of new steps now underway and the site rapidly taking shape.
Progress update - September 2025
The video shows Councillor Dan Morehead (Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Planning and the Green Agenda) and Dan Redmond (McPhillips (Wellington) Limited) talking about the progress on the project.
Video transcript
Commentary by Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration:
Good afternoon everyone. Here, behind you can see the work that we're doing to the Connectivity Project here in Kidderminster, and just really pleased I've been able to spend some time with Dan from McPhillips. He's been giving me a really good update on the progress that they're making on this key project for the town centre. As you can see behind me, we're now at the stage where the works are starting above the ground and I have to say that they're doing a really high-quality job for us here and we're currently on track to have this completed by December this year. Of course, from a wider economic regeneration of of Kidderminster, this piece of work is critical to open up the Lion Fields development which is to those who know the former Glade site whereas we've publicised, we're looking to build up to 150 high quality homes on that site. So this is a really key part of the regeneration of Kidderminster town centre, and we've now got the hoarding down just behind the camera, so anyone who wants to come down, you'll be able to see the progress that they're making now. So, I'll get Dan just to give a couple of words just about what we will see in those next few phases of this development. But yeah, I'm really pleased with what I've seen today. So, Dan, great work.
Commentary by Dan Redmond, McPhillips (Wellington) Limited:
Thank you. Next few phases now is this week the rock panelling has now been done to number 15 High Street. So, it's a big impact now as you come down Worcester Street you can now see that all the ugly grey has now been covered over by the new rock panelling. Behind us, the staircases have gone in. We're now starting to do the small dwarf walls. They're being installed as you go up. The rest of the retaining walls will start to go in after the back of those and then hopefully in the next few weeks you'll start seeing all the paving works to the front of Worcester Street because we put the new curb line in that'll all start to go in, and then slowly then phasing in all the landscaping works off the back of that as well. So yeah, all going well currently.
Commentary by Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration:
Great stuff. Thanks for that Dan. I urge you all come down have a look. Great progress being made and we're going to see a real significance to the town centre and obviously this will enable us then as I said that Lion Fields development is a critical part of it and we continue to invest in Kidderminster and make it a great place for you. Thank you.
Progress update - December 2025
The video shows drone footage of the Worcester Street Connectivity project.
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