Firm under fire for illegal use of land
Enforcement action is being taken against one of the region's largest builders' merchants for illegally using land in the Black Country to store building materials.
Darlaston Builders Merchants has breached planning regulations by using land off Darlaston Road to store commercial building materials without permission, according to Walsall Council.
Council officers discovered building materials and pallets were being stored at the site, between the River Tame and the railway line, in April last year and told the firm to stop using it for storage.
But planning chiefs at the authority have now agreed to serve an enforcement notice on the company for failing to comply, giving bosses one month to clear the land.
Failure to do this can result in the firm being taken to court by the local authority and fined.
Darlaston South representative, Councillor Paul Bott, who voted for the action at a recent meeting of the council's planning committee, said the site had become untidy, adding: "It is an eyesore.
"I agree enforcement action should be taken," he added.
A report to the committee said that, after it was found building materials and pallets were being stored on the land, the council wrote to the firm giving bosses 28 days to stop using the site for this purpose.
According to the report, bosses contacted the council saying a project had stalled, but they now wanted to use the land and a planning application would be submitted, although none have been received.
The authority wrote to the firm again in April this year, giving 21 days to comply before a request for enforcement action was drawn up.
Failure to clear the site has now resulted in the council taking enforcement action.
The report stated: "The unauthorised use of the land for the storage of commercial building materials is significantly detrimental to the visual amenities of the site and the local area.
"It is also not in accordance with the aspirations of the borough to encourage high quality employment uses on the site."
Ian Mansell, manager at Darlaston Builders Merchants, said the company had previous planning permission for a builders merchants at the site but it had lapsed.
He said the firm had now submitted a new planning application for the site, which would cover using it for storage if given the go-ahead.
