Experts called in over plans to revamp historic hall
Developers behind plans to revamp a historic hall have called in experts to address campaigners' concerns over the impact on the countryside and the community.
It will cost BCG Lakes, the owners of listed Great Barr Hall, an estimated £20 million to transform the site into a hotel and conference centre.
The consortium and Lapworth Architects submitted a planning application to re-develop the derelict hall on the Walsall-Sandwell border in December 2013.
Under the proposals, the site off Chapel Lane would be transformed into a conference venue and 57 homes. The main hall would be transformed into a hotel, while homes would be built in the surrounding grounds of the site that borders the M6 southbound.
But campaigners fears the plans will affect the countryside and create traffic problems in the vicinity. While English Heritage and Walsall Council have asked the owners for more details about the community benefits of the scheme.
The council's planning department told the Express & Star that it was waiting for Lapworth Architects to provide the extra information requested.
Mike Kalam, of Lapworths, said: "We are working to address the questions that the council has put forward. We are in contact with experts in the field and we are hoping for a successful outcome."
Beacon Action Group (BAG) has led a campaign against the scheme held a public meeting 12 months ago to air the community's views.
BAG's chairman Bob Winkle said: "We continue to be in regular contact with the officers at Walsall Council and English Heritage to monitor the progress of the Great Barr Hall planning application and keep the local residents informed.
"However, as far as we have been able to ascertain, nothing has been forthcoming from Lapworth Architects since April 2014, when the planning officers requested a considerable amount of detailed information from the architects. This was necessary following a number of serious issues raised by council officers at Walsall and Sandwell, English Heritage and many other important statutory bodies.
"Residents, who remain to be fiercely opposed to the application, attended an information session at held by BAG in February and were supported by the MPs Valerie Vaz and Tom Watson.
"Residents still have serious objections to the application and the harm to the local community that would arise from such a development in the historic parkland and green belt."
The developers claim they will be left out of pocket by the multi-million pound project to re-develop the site that has stood empty since 1978.
