Solihull is to get a giant Carluccio’s restaurant as part of wide-ranging plans to transform part of the town centre.

The Italian restaurant, which already has venues in Brindleyplace and Grand Central, will front a new four-storey building at the Mell Square shopping centre.

It replaces former Thomas Cook and Johnson’s Dry Cleaners stores, which are being knocked down, on the corner of High Street and Drury Lane.

The new building, which will also include three floors of offices, is expected to kick off wider work from IM Properties, which bought the 747,000 sq ft development from Aviva for £44 million in 2013.

Alison Stanton from Carluccio’s said: “This is a perfect gateway location between the High Street and Mell Square, with a great level of prominence.

“The design for the space is ideal for us and we are very pleased to be working with IM Properties to secure our first restaurant in Solihull.”

Carluccio’s in Brindleyplace
Carluccio’s in Brindleyplace

The new building is expected to be completed this year. Demolition work has already begun on site ahead of work on the new restaurant.

In all, IM Properties owns 101 retail units in Solihull town centre.

Its asset manager Rob Hemus said: “This corner plot, which links Mell Square to the High Street, will be a key gateway into the scheme and it’s fantastic that we’ve been able to confirm Carluccio’s, who have been looking to get into Solihull for well over three years, as the new occupier for restaurant unit.

“The combination of this new restaurant space and the grade A offices above is a perfect statement of our intent for Mell Square. We want to create a vibrant, contemporary mixed-use location that will help to drive Solihull’s continued prosperity.”