Plan for flats across from Midland Met hospital to be discussed for third time next week
New flats across from a new hospital in the West Midlands will be debated by Sandwell Council for a third time next week, after the original planning application was refused due to ‘excessive and unjustified’ parking.
The plans, with 392 flats, along with shops, restaurants, and office space, will be heard by Sandwell council’s planning committee. It is hoped they will be approved for development in conjunction with the new Midlands Metropolitan University Hospital – set for a delayed open in spring 2024.
In planning documents, Sandwell Council’s highways department said the scheme still does not meet the council’s parking standards, but would not object to the plans if sizing improvements were made.
The original plans to build 201 flats and other amenities was refused in October 2021 on the grounds councillors could not justify a 1,323 space multi-storey car park over ten floors.
It was delayed twice pending “further discussions relating to a sustainable parking provision” and a site visit to put concerns at ease for planning committee members.
The developer, Metropolitan Holdings, argued the car park would not itself be a “traffic generator” and journeys would be on existing roads. They cited other hospitals, such as Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Sandwell General, reported to have bad parking, to justify the number of spaces.
At the time, councillor Peter Allen said the local authority did not want the car park: “It seems we’ve got a very large car park for a very small benefit to the community.”
The new plans instead will have a total of 341 residential parking space, equating to a space for 87 per cent of the flats. A further 30 spaces are provided for retail parking.
According to planning documents, the parking is “more than adequate for residents” based on census data for car ownership in the West Midlands, and the type and tenure of the flats.
The applicant, Metropolitan Holdings, has agreed Section 106 contributions – money which will be spent on a project in the area – towards improvements to public transport infrastructure.
Up to 20 per cent of the build-to-rent flats will be ‘affordable rent’ at 20 per cent below the market rate. The application will be heard by Sandwell Council’s planning committee on January 11.
