BUILDING work on a 100-bedroom Holiday Inn Express hotel will start "as soon as possible" after plans were finally given the green light.

Redditch Council's planning committee agreed to permit the development of the former railway goods yard in Hewell Road last Tuesday night.

The plans are for a hotel and residential development comprising houses and flats and permission was granted on the grounds that the developers - Meridian Leisure and Kings Oak Midlands - agree to certain conditions set out by the council.

Council head of planning John Staniland said: "Planning permission will be granted as soon as the legal agreement has been settled, which I think will be quite soon.

"This is valid for five years but the impression I get from developers is that they want to start work as soon as possible."

The scheme was previously delayed while the council agreed the conditions with developers.

According to Mr Staniland the developers have now agreed to complete the first phase of building work before replacing an old footbridge over the site.

Developers were also keen to get the go ahead for work because they claim Chiltern Railways are planning to take over services at Redditch and want to use the site as a car park.

But Chiltern Railways' statement said: "We confirm there are no plans to take over operations at Redditch station at the moment."