Homes plan for Brownhills derelict pub site rejected over ‘Cannock Chase Tax’

Developer Manjit Singh had put forward a proposal to demolish the Royal Oak pub on Chester Road and replace it with three, four-bedroom homes on the land.

The site is overgrown and the pub has stood empty since it closed in June 2015.

But the outline application for housing has failed as it falls with the 15km zone of the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and officers said no mitigation measures had been put forward.

Other concerns were also raised about the impact the new houses would have on traffic and a lack of information on whether protected species are on site.

Councillors in Walsall have previously hit out at the SAC, branding it a tax, which requires developers pay £290.58 on each dwelling in new schemes to go towards the upkeep of the conservation area.

In the decision notice, Walsall Council’s head of planning Alison Ives said: “This application falls within the 15km zone of influence relating to the Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and has failed to provide any information in relation to likely impacts on the SAC arising from the proposed addition of 3 dwellings and has failed to provide any necessary mitigation measures.

“Insufficient information has been put forward to demonstrate the likely impact of the proposed development on the safe and free flow of traffic on the highway network.

“Insufficient information has been put forward to demonstrate and establish whether there is a presence of protected species within or close to the application site that would be adversely affected by the proposed development.”