Express & Star

Green light for 14 flats to be built on land off major Black Country road

A block of flats will be built on the site of a former warehouse in Oldbury near a major Black Country road

By contributor Christian Barnett
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Up to 14 flats would be built on land off the busy Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury after a planning application was given the green light by Sandwell Council.

Two objections were raised against the plan over concerns about the height of the building and a potential loss of privacy and sunlight.

The council said the application was in-line with its planning policies and would uplift the area.

Sandwell Council approved an application to build 14 flats in 2007 but the work was never carried out.

The former auto workshop opposite Warley Car Clinic in Wolverhampton Road near the junction with Causeway Green Road was converted into a warehouse for sheds and other garden buildings in 2014 but then demolished in recent years without the flats being built.

The two and three-storey building would be built on a similar footprint to the former workshop.

855 Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury. Pic: Google Maps. Permission for reuse for all LDRS partners.
855 Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury. Pic: Google Maps. Permission for reuse for all LDRS partners.

A statement included with the application by Paul Johal said: “With the local planning authority already granting permission for an apartment block the site historically, the principle of a residential development was seemingly established.

“However to test this principle in light of emerging planning policy, a pre-app for a new application was obtained which maintained favourability.

“When comparing this to the previous approval, the benefits are far outweighed, making for a more contemporary building.

“The overall height has also been considerably reduced which should enjoy a better relationship with the adjacent properties.

“It is felt that this scheme will vastly improve a currently underutilised site to the benefit of the area, improving the street character and promoting a sustainable way of living promoted by better landscape, energy efficiency and connectivity.”

An artist\'s impression of the proposed flats off Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury. Pic: Hinton Cook Architects. Permission for reuse for all LDRS partners.
An artist\'s impression of the proposed flats off Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury. Pic: Hinton Cook Architects. Permission for reuse for all LDRS partners.

The land sits less than a mile from the former Brandhall Golf Course which is set to be turned into a huge new estate.

The controversial work includes 190 new homes, a replacement Causeway Green Primary School and a new 67-acre public park.

The foundations for the first of the 190 proposed homes are not expected to be laid for at least another 18 months. The replacement primary school is not expected to open until early 2027.

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