New flats plan at Dudley Bean Cars office site hits stumbling block over noise concerns

Under plans first revealed last year, Fruition Developments want to transform Bean House on Hall Street, Dudley, into 24 flats.

The site has been unoccupied for more than 25 years having previously served as the offices for the Bean Cars factory next door.

Now concerns have been raised over the scheme by Dudley Council's environmental safety and health team.

In a new report they say an initial noise survey submitted in support of the plans had failed to take into account "significant dominant industrial noise" from the nearby Alan Nuttall plant.

It said that during a site meeting with representatives of Alan Nuttalls and Fruiton on April 6 to discuss the council's concerns, noise from the operation of the wood waste plant was "clearly audible".

The report concludes that currently proposed noise mitigation measures were "inadequate and based on inappropriate standards".

It adds: "It has not been demonstrated that sufficient mitigation will be provided to adequately protect future residents against the adverse effects of noise from the operation of the wood waste extraction plant at Alan Nuttall."

Fruition has since submitted an amended location plan. If it is given the go-ahead, the scheme will feature 24 apartments for rent, including two studio apartments, 14 one-bedroom apartments, eight two-bedroom apartments, as well as 11 parking spaces.

A statement accompanying the plans says: "The proposed conversion to dwellings would improve the area and assist in the regeneration of this area of Dudley."

It adds the development would "halt the building’s decline and help safeguard its future". Developers have also pledged to keep the 'Bean Cars' scroll over the building's main doorway.

The building was the offices of Bean Cars from 1919 and was later used by steel firm Hadfields Ltd.

It has been empty since 2006 when it was bought by Alan Nuttall Ltd, as part of abandoned plans to extend the factory next door.