Homes lined up for former business land in Walsall

Apartments will be built on separate parcels of land in Aldridge and Willenhall if given the go-ahead.

It comes as sites around the borough, including old school ones, are now being earmarked for redevelopment.

The former Brico accident and repair centre in Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, is being considered for residential use. It will be demolished and replaced with a combination of 11 two and three bed apartments.

The application put forward through agent Alan Thurstance says: "The site to which this application relates, known as Brico, is allocated within a core employment area.

"However, Stubbers Green Road is now predominantly developed for residential purposes, with apartments located adjacent to the application site and within the vicinity.

"During the design process, we feel the opportunity has arisen to provide a contemporary, standalone, high quality apartment block that is worthy to occupy the final parcel of land before the wildlife corridor and canal."

Fresh plans also been submitted to the council for homes on vacant industrial land off Villiers Street, Willenhall.

Permission was previously in place for 14 apartments but the scheme is no longer considered commercially viable.

There is now a new proposal for 10 three-bed houses on the land which have been described as 'starter homes.'

The application states: "The demand, identified by potential developers, is for this sort of housing in this area. The proposal for 14 apartments is not financially viable in the current market."

It comes as a former school in Willenhall has been lined up for transformation into new homes and headquarters of a top engineering firm.

Part of the old Little London buildings will be demolished although some of the front of the school, including the original entrance and clock tower, will be kept.

BE Wedge Holding wants to create its new headquarters at the site. The firm was founded almost 150 years ago in Willenhall by John Wedge. The remainder of the site will then be sold on for around 20 houses.

Little London Junior School, Lakeside Junior School and Clothier Street Junior Schools, all closed in 2007 and merged into Fibbersley Park Primary, in Noose Lane.

The council previously revealed it was looking to sell off the sites in a bid to raise up to £3 million towards education in the borough. All of them have attracted fly-tippers and anti-social behaviour.