A PLAN to rebuild warehouses that were destroyed by a devastating fire has been given the green light.

The huge blaze broke out at Park Street Industrial Estate, in Kidderminster, on September 8, 2021, prompting the fire service to declare a major incident.

Around 100 firefighters were called to Betts Metals after the fire broke out. 

The industrial estate site was originally part of a carpet factory, with a warehouse being converted into seven units in September 1982.

A new planning application was submitted to Wyre Forest District Council in November 2023, to rebuild units 6A, 7A and 8 to 11 at the complex.

The buildings will be used by the previous company, Comfort Shoe Warehouse, who import shoes, store them and sell them on the UK market. The development will create seven job opportunities.

The application was approved at a recent meeting of Wyre Forest District Council’s planning committee.

The nearby 4 and 4a units were also badly damaged and have since been rebuilt. 5 and 5a have been demolished, with permission previously granted to rebuild them.

During the fire back in September 2021, explosions and sirens were heard across the town while billowing smoke was seen from miles away.

Workers on the industrial estate managed to escape the fire and nearby residents were evacuated from their homes.

Nearby roads had to be shut during the height of the fire and many Kidderminster schools were closed the following day due to safety reasons.

Many across the region paid tribute to the efforts of the emergency services following the blaze.