100 homes planned for former Black Country bakery site
Up to 100 homes are poised to be built on the site of a former bakery which was once one of a Black Country town's biggest employers, under new plans.
Scores of homes could transform the site of the closed Maple Leaf bakery, in Birchills, Walsall, which formerly operated as Harvestime Bakeries and employed hundreds of people.
An application has been made to Walsall Council to find out if an environmental impact assessment will be required prior to an outline planning application being submitted for the site of the former bakery, in Raleigh Street.
In a letter, which has been lodged on behalf of applicant Shiptinvest No.1 Limited, planning director Guy Bailey said: "The site is bordered by residential property on all sides, along with some business and retail uses to the south and east, with one small shop to the north.
"The proposed development would be the subject of an outline planning for the erection of up to 100 dwelling units and associated accesses, landscaping and supporting infrastructure.
"The site has been promoted for a number of years through the council's emerging policy and housing documents for residential development.
"The site is not specifically allocated in the Black Country Core Strategy, but does lie within one of the regeneration corridors."
The report said there had been potential for ground contamination to have occurred but the potential risk to controlled waters and human health has been assessed as low to moderate by an initial environmental assessment.
It said a targeted site investigation was being planned to establish the extent and severity of contamination present and assess the risk to health.
Mr Bailey added: "The proposed development would include some new planting both within and on the boundaries of the site.
"Add to that the removal of some existing high industrial buildings of no architectural merit and the proposal is likely to have a beneficial effect."
Harvestime went into administration twice in 2005.
Harvestime Bakeries was bought by former directors John Bridson and Phil Taylor, rescuing the company when it first went into administration after parent firm Rathbones collapsed.
After going into administration for a second time, the bakery was rescued through an agreed takeover package by Maple Leaf Bakery UK Ltd, securing 250 jobs after more than 100 workers were made redundant.
The bakery closed in 2012 after the company announced it was leaving the sliced bread market, with staff being encouraged to apply for posts at the Perfection Foods bakery which opened elsewhere in the town.
A bakery had been on the Raleigh Street site since the 1800s.
