‘Unneighbourly’ plan to open shop on ‘rat run’ in Wolverhampton could still go ahead despite council rejection

Wolverhampton Council turned down the move to convert the house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Dunstall Road into a new shop earlier this year over concerns the already “heavily subscribed” area would be made worse by more cars and already limited spaces.

The council’s planners said they were concerned the proposed shop, which would open opposite a church and busy medical centre, a row of existing shops and takeaways and on a ‘rat run’ covered in double yellow lines would have an “unnaceptable impact.” 

The local authority said the size of the proposed shop would require at least 12 parking spaces but only two would be provided. 

The applicant Rohullah Azizi said the shop, a stone’s throw from Wolverhampton Wanderers’ home ground Molineux, would have “no detrimental effect” and, despite the lack of parking, would sit “in harmony” with the surrounding area.

The application was first rejected in October 2023 and put forward again without any changes in May and rejected again. 

The latest rejection has now been appealed to the government’s planning inspectors who have the power to overrule the council. 

The final decision on the new shop has now been taken out of the council’s hands and the work will be allowed to go ahead if the inspector rules that the council acted ‘unreasonably’ when making its decision. 

Earlier this year, the council said the shop would fail to provide “sufficient, convenient and well laid out” parking and would have an “unacceptable impact on pedestrian and highway safety.”

Explaining the council’s decision, planning officers said: “The site is located adjacent to the busy mini roundabout at the junction of Staveley Road, Dunstall Road and Leicester Street,” the council’s report said. “Staveley Road and Dunstall Road are regularly used by commuters as part of a 'rat run' to avoid delays on the primary arterial route along Waterloo Road and Stafford Road.

“Dunstall Road is a bus route with the number 5 service running between Wolverhampton city centre and Codsall […] On-street parking on Leicester Street and Staveley Road is already very heavily subscribed throughout the entire day but particularly at peak times due to the parking demand generated by the existing retail and service premises in the vicinity of the site."

Wolverhampton Council also said a proposed rear car park, accessed off the narrow Leicester Street which is lined with terraced houses and cars parked on both sides of the road leaving little space, would be “unneighbourly and unacceptable.”

“The coming and going of customers on foot and in vehicles either parking in the street or trying to manoeuvre into the proposed car parking spaces, along with car doors slamming, car stereos and people’s voices, is likely to cause noise disturbance to the detriment of the amenities of the existing and future occupiers of the neighbouring property on Leicester Street,” the council added in its rejection.