Council approves controversial plans for Oldbury children’s home despite opposition from neighbours

The plan to convert the former foster home in Pool Lane, Oldbury, into a residential care home for up to three vulnerable children was turned down by Sandwell Council’s planning committee last year over a lack of parking.

However, a government inspector has now given the green light to the work, after an appeal, saying it would not cause any parking issues.

Sandwell Council had rejected an initial move to convert the house into a children’s care home in 2023 before allowing plans to convert the home into a six-bed house of multiple occupation (HMO).

An appeal was then made by applicants Abbey Residential Care in a bid to get the children’s home decision overturned.

A petition with more than 130 signatures was handed to the council before it rejected the application last year.

Overruling the council and allowing the move, the government’s planning inspector said: “Inconvenience arising from the lack of parking provision is further alleged by the council.

“Local residents also raise concerns that the cul-de-sac is narrow and that parking could obstruct the highway.

“However, I have found that there would be ample off-street parking to meet the needs of the development.

“It therefore follows that the development would be unlikely to cause undue harm to highway safety from displaced parking, encroachment or as an obstacle to emergency vehicle access.”

The former mayor of Sandwell, Cllr Bill Gavan, spoke out against the plan on behalf of concerned residents when the application was discussed twice last year.

At an October planning meeting, Cllr Gavan said he did not oppose children’s homes but was against one opening in Pool Lane – which he called a “cash cow in Sandwell’s smallest cul-de-sac.”

Cllr Gavan had earlier criticised the move saying the type of home was being run for profit and “without love and care.”

Syeda Madiha Maham Ali, director of Surrey-based Abbey Residential Care, said the former foster home which had belonged to her parents had been “built to look after children” and the change of use would play a “small but impactful role” in helping provide a safe environment for vulnerable children in Sandwell.

She said her family home had been brought in 1991 and her parents had cared for more than 100 children from Sandwell in a 25-year stint as foster carers.