Site of famous Black Country business Bean Cars set to be turned into flats

Bean House on Hall Street, Dudley, served as the offices for the Bean Cars factory next door during the early part of the last century.

Plans have now been submitted to Dudley Council to transform the site into 24 apartments for rent, including two studio apartments, 14 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments.

The scheme includes 11 parking spaces and will see the roof repaired and external railings fitted.

A statement accompanying the plans says: "The apartments will all be finished to good standards and available on a rentable basis at affordable market rates.

"The building requires complete refurbishment due to a lack of maintenance for in excess of the last 25 years whilst the building remained unoccupied.

"The refurbishment would repair defective elements to prevent further decay and return to the local area a renovated building of local historical importance.

"It has been proved by the simple fact that refurbishing the building to permit use as a factory or offices does not make economic sense.

"The proposed conversion to dwellings as detailed would improve the area and assist in the regeneration of this area of Dudley, close to the town centre.

"The proposal would bring this important structure via extensive and sensitive refurbishment, back into use and provide a much needed social function, i.e. new and affordable housing.

"This would halt the building’s decline and help safeguard its future.

"We therefore urge the local authority to support this development and help secure the building for the future."

The building was the offices of Bean Cars from 1919 and was later used by steel firm Hadfields Ltd.

It has been empty since 2006 when it was bought by Alan Nuttall Ltd, as part of abandoned plans to extend the factory next door.

It is currently run by Fruition Property Developments, the property arm of the Nuttall operation.