New site bid in Carvers gas tank row
A bid to move gas tanks at the centre of a four-year legal row over a £40million student village in Wolverhampton eight miles away was today closer to fruition after a planning application was lodged.
There were calls for Victoria Hall student flats to have their planning permission revoked because they fall within the blast zone of liquid petroleum gas tanks stored legally at Carvers Building Supplies.
But after a battle between Wolverhampton City Council and the Health and Safety Executive, the authority has bought land in Gailey, Staffordshire, for Carvers – and will cover the costs of moving the tanks.
A planning application has now been lodged. If accepted it will see the tanks moved to Gravelly Way.
If the council had not bought the land the alternative would have been to revoke planning permission for the as yet unbuilt fourth block of halls of residence, and for the authority to have forked out millions in compensation to cover Victoria Halls, off Wednesfield Road.
Henry Carver, managing director of Carvers Building Supplies, said: "It is very good news and we are hoping permission will be granted in a speedy manner by South Staffordshire Council. Every indication so far is that it will be."
