New location for Smethwick tuition centre agreed after previous attempt rejected over parking

BMH Tutors had its plan to open a new private tutors in Waterloo Road opposite Shireland Collegiate Academy, Smethwick, approved by Sandwell Council.

The proposed tuition centre would operate out of a former shop on the border of Bearwood and Cape Hill and accommodate up to 20 students aged between five and 18 years old.

It came after a previous move to open a centre in St Mary’s Road in Bearwood was rejected by the local authority in July.

Planners said the new location was unlikely to be problematic for neighbours as the area was already busy because of the school opposite. The private tutors would not open until after 4pm when the school day has ended.

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No objections were raised by neighbours before the ruling.

The council turned down a planning application by BMH Tutors to convert the Victorian Bearwood home into a ‘private tuition academy’ for children studying for their GCSEs and A-Levels saying it would “significantly increase” the number of cars using the road and would not be providing enough parking spaces.

A statement included with the application said the proposed conversion would not be “noise-generating” and would be comparable to a “small school library” but the council’s planners still went on to reject the application.

The home, opposite St Mary’s Church just off the busy Bearwood High Street, would have sat next to Bearwood Dental Care and the Play House Day Nursery.

The application had proposed opening hours of 11am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends and public holidays including half-term breaks and school holidays but was shortened during the week to 4pm to 6pm to avoid the busy school pick-up period.

The planning application from BMH Tutors said Waterloo Road was an “ideal location” that was “not going to cause any problems to anyone.” The tuition centre would be targeting children within a one-mile radius who would walk to cut down on car use, the application said.

The private tutors said surrounding streets including Catethorn Road, Pearman Road, Edgbaston Road, Grange Road, and the rest of Waterloo Road would have spaces for pick-ups and drop-offs.

BMH Tutors already runs an academy in upmarket Handsworth Wood.

“We tutor children from the ages of five to 18 and provide individualised tuition to small groups of students,” a statement included with the application said. “Students will simply sit and individually do their work and seek assistance from one of our tutors. Children will be of mixed age groups and will work independently.

“During opening hours, children will have a scheduled fixed time slot when they are on the premises. They will sit at a table and quietly do their work and be assisted by one of our staff members. We have two to three staff members at present.”