The shops after the fire in 2005

Construction work to transform the fire-ravaged heart of Leegomery, in which its shopping parade was destroyed, will begin shortly – three months earlier than expected.

Contractors for Telford & Wrekin Council are due to begin work in mid-February on a new base for the charity Listen & Care.

And the second phase of the scheme would see shops built on the site in Pool Farm Avenue, once the charity has moved into the new building and its former building is demolished.

In July 2005 a blaze, thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, ripped through Leegomery’s Spar shop, post office and pharmacy.

Developer Redrow un-veiled plans to replace the damaged parade with five shops, 71 homes and a centre for Listen & Care.

But the scheme suffered lengthy delays, amid complaints from residents about over-density of the housing element and legal wrangles between the council and the developer.

Redrow finally pulled out of the whole project last year and the council annnounced it would step in with public money.

Members of the council’s cabinet yesterday approved funding for the new centre to allow the work to go ahead, although no details have been issued about how much public cash would be spent on the project.

But it forms part of the council’s commitment to bring regeneration projects forward where possible to help support the local construction industry in the credit crunch.

A planning application for the shops, which could include a supermarket, will be submitted next month.