Plan for flats in historic church approved in Dudley

A meeting of Dudley Council’s planning committee on April 22 approved an application to develop Hanbury Hill Baptist Church on Chapel Street into five apartments.

Committee members voted by three to one with one abstention in favour of the project with conditions including that developers pay £5,000 for an extension of existing double yellow lines.

The scheme attracted objections including 16 letters from neighbours, four letters from neighbourhood groups and an online petition of 52 signatures.

Objectors raised concerns about a range of issues including a lack of parking on streets in the area and the impact on highway safety.

Planning officers confirmed the plan provided six spaces for five flats however there was some concern there was not enough parking provision.

Cllr Bryn Challenor was worried there may be more than one car per household, he said: “If two people move into each apartment that’s ten cars.

“It is diabolical for people living around there at the moment, I am wondering where those other people are going to park.”

He was told by planning officers the design conformed to standards and it was hoped people would use alternative means of transport.

Cllr Peter Drake was also concerned about parking; he added the area was ‘congested at the best of times’ but was told highways officers had raised no objections.

Another issue for objectors was the impact of the design on the locally listed church which dates back to the 1830s.

A report on the project from council planning officers said: “The majority of the works to convert the ground and first floor would comprise internal alterations.

“The proposed alterations to the existing building are considered acceptable in scale and design and would not have an adverse impact on the locally listed building nor the Area of High Historic Townscape Value.”