Former foundry site could make way for 200 homes and care home
Nearly 200 homes and a 50-bed care home could be built on a former foundry in Oldbury, under new plans lodged with council bosses.
A ‘screening opinion’ was submitted to Sandwell Council for the two developments, on the vacant land – bounded by Bromford Road, West Bromwich Street and Fountain Lane – near to Sandwell and Dudley train station
The application for the site, which is known as the Junction site has been submitted to the authority by Hammerson (Oldbury) Limited.
The brownfield site has remained vacant for some years, since the former Hunt Brothers Griffin Foundry was demolished in 2003.
The site had originally been earmarked for a new multi-million pound retail park, but the plans were later scrapped. Planning permission was granted for a range of shops and stores on the site, submitted by Bullring owners Hammerson.
In documents submitted to the council, it states: “It is proposed to submit two outline applications, with all matters reserved for future consideration with the exception of access, for residential and care home uses. The parameters against which the scheme is to be assessed include up to 180 residential units, and a 50-bed care home.
“The site comprises of three parcels of land. The site is vacant and cleared of all former structures, but was historically used for a range of industrial purposes.”
Oldbury ward Councillor Mushtaq Hussain welcomed the news that the land could be brought back into good use.
He said: “I think it should be very good news for Oldbury. We are short of housing in the town and all over the place, and it will be welcomed. The site has been sitting idle for long enough, it is such a big site and it has been empty for long enough.
“The land will be put in to good use with this scheme. I welcome the plans making good use of land just lying there.”
A screening opinion is the process of determining whether an environmental impact assessment is required as part of a planning application. But Sandwell Council has decided that the proposal would not be an environmental impact assessment development and an environmental statement is not necessary.
A full planning application for the two developments by Hammerson (Oldbury) Limited is expected to follow shortly.
