Carvers go-ahead to move gas tanks from Wolverhampton
Controversial plans to relocate potentially explosive gas tanks from Carvers in Wolverhampton to South Staffordshire have been given the green light by the council – paving the way for redevelopment to take place in the city centre.
The move now means the transformation of the city's canalside can go ahead. The work has been at deadlock up until now while the gas tanks were being stored at the building supply firm's Littles Lane site.
The liquid petroleum gas tanks have been stored legally for many years but plans to build a fourth block of the £40 million Victoria Hall student village cannot proceed while they are there because the site falls within a blast zone around the tanks.
The development of the landmark Springfield Brewery site has also been put on hold while the situation is resolved.
South Staffordshire District Council gave the go-ahead at a planning meeting last night for Carvers to store their tanks at Gravelley Way in the Four Ashes area.
The proposals had led to some objections, including from SI Group chemical works.
The company said it had submitted outline proposals for its 900,000 sq ft site that had the potential to create 1,000 jobs.
But representatives told the meeting that parts of their site fell within the blast zone from the gas tanks and would jeopardise any potential investments in the site.
Carver's owner Henry Carver said: "Carver's customers are based mainly in South Staffordshire and Shropshire so there is an interest for this council. Wolverhampton City Council before purchasing the site sought legal advice from a QC.
The advice was there was no planning reason to oppose the plans."
Councillors voted 22 to seven in favour of the new site.
It has been a far from straight forward process for Carvers to get the plans passed.
The decision has been delayed three times in six months as South Staffordshire Council sought legal advice.
Wolverhampton City Council, which purchased the land on behalf of Carvers, went to the Supreme Court against the Health and Safety Executive after it allowed Victoria Hall to be built despite being within the blast zone of the gas tanks.
The council defended itself successfully after a four-year legal battle.
Mr Henry Carver, boss of Carvers Builders Supplies, said: "There was a very healthy debate and wise heads prevailed despite some uninformed scaremongering.
"The majority of the councillors saw through this and did the common sense, pragmatic thing."
