Plans to redevelop former Sandwell golf course with 190 homes, a primary school and park are lodged with council
Plans to redevelop a former golf course with 190 homes, a primary school and park in Oldbury have been lodged with a council.
An outline planning application has been submitted to Sandwell Council to transform the former Brandhall Golf Course.
Last year, Sandwell Council's cabinet confirmed its decision to move ahead with the proposals, which had been subject to protests and objections from groups aiming to protect the land.
A design and access statement, submitted alongside the planning application, said it would create a significant new public park – the first in Sandwell’s 47 year history – along with new footpaths and cycleways and the primary school would be a replacement for Causeway Green Primary School.
It also said there was the potential to provide a variety of house types and tenures to meet local needs, including providing 25 per cent affordable housing.
The site, off Heron Road, comprises an 18-hole municipal golf course and incorporates Parson's Hill Park.
The statement says: "The proposals will deliver the following local benefits: Creation of a significant new public park - the first in Sandwell’s 47 year history; which enhances biodiversity and increases the amount of unrestricted, accessible open space in the Old Warley ward.
"Establishment of new accessible footpaths and cycleways across the site, creating a variety of leisure and recreation opportunities to help encourage active travel and improve the health and wellbeing of local people.
"Providing for education through delivery of a new primary school, to replace the existing Causeway Green Primary School which is in poor physical condition and identified as a priority for replacement due to ongoing condition issues associated with the original building construction and localised flooding.
"Deliver 190 new homes that can contribute towards meeting some of the unmet housing need in Sandwell. There is the potential to provide a variety of house types and tenures to meet local needs, including providing 25 per cent affordable housing in line with current policy."
The site was largely agricultural land until Brandhall Golf Course was first established in 1906, although it was again converted briefly for agriculture during the First World War.
In the 1930’s Brandhall Farm was converted into a golf club house, which was subsequently demolished, and the golf course reduced due to the construction of the M5.
The course was taken over and run by the council as a municipal course in April 1944.
At a meeting in September 2019, the Sandwell sport and leisure built facilities strategy members steering group resolved that a recommendation be made to cabinet to close Brandhall Golf Course and club house, and that consultation with residents should take place to consider the closure and alternative uses for the site.
In May 2020, following consideration of the consultation findings, Sandwell Council's cabinet approved a recommendation to close Brandhall Golf Course.
As the course was already closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it remained closed and did not reopen.
A decision on the planning application is expected to be made by Sandwell Council in the upcoming months.
