Netherton industrial site set to be bulldozed to make way for 68 new homes

Alps Developments Midlands Ltd wants to demolish all buildings in Tromans Industrial Estate, Halesowen Road, to build 27 houses and an apartment block.

However, Dudley Council's Housing Department has raised concerns the planning application does not include enough detail about the proportion of affordable housing.

The council's housing strategy manager Joanne Forbes said: "We confirm that there is a need for social/affordable housing in the area. We will be seeking a policy compliant affordable housing contribution.

"The current documents on the planning portal do not make clear what the proposed affordable housing contribution is, or the site tenure breakdown so we request that more information is supplied."

Unusually for a planning application there was not a design and access statement concerning the new development.

However, a ecology report by Midland Ecology Ltd revealed several details about the site, which includes the Furniture Warehouse, and proposed housing.

The report stated: "The development proposals briefly comprise construction of 27 residential dwellings and one apartment block with soft landscaping

"The development proposals include clearance of vegetation, construction of a new residential property estate including and apartment block, soft landscaping, construction of roads leading to new properties.

"All works areas, storage and haul routes will be included within the site boundary; access will be provided by existing roads and as such, no additional working footprints are anticipated."

The ecologist found evidence of hedgehogs, birds and bats and made several recommendations to the developers.

The report recommendations included: "Further surveys are required nesting birds should works commence during the nesting bird season. An ecologist may also be required on site as an ecological clerk of works.

"Recommendations for enhancement include hedgehog highways throughout the north of the site as well as the inclusion of bat and bird boxes and a bat friendly lighting design."

Link Engineering wrote a flood risk assessment plan which detailed the history of the site, which is between Halesowen Road and Saltwells Road.

"The site has been built on since before 1885. The site contained an inn in the north of the site until earliest 1971, the latest map available on the website. Between 1971 and present day, the inn was demolished and the warehouse in the southeast of the site was constructed."

For more information about the planning application visit www.dudley.gov.uk and search for P23/1352.