Scheme to build 223 homes in West Bromwich given green light
More than 220 homes could finally be built on disused West Bromwich land that has been hit by anti-social behaviour.
Sandwell Council planners gave the green light to Countryside Properties to start work on the site in Hall Green Road which will see 223 two, three and four-bedroom houses built.
Representatives for the development said the scheme would help the authority meet housing needs and transform the site which has lain empty for a number of years.
But the proposals were met with opposition from residents in the area, who raised a raft of concerns including impact on traffic on surrounding roads, noise, pollution of the area including the canal, loss of trees and insufficient parking.
Councillor Kay Millar, who spoke on behalf of residents at a meeting on Wednesday, added there was also concern about the land being contaminated and the disturbance that remediation of the site could cause.
She said she would also want to see the 25 per cent affordable housing requirement met, which Countryside Properties said it was unable to provide, as it would make the scheme unviable.
But Joe Bennett, planning agent for Countryside Properties, said: “We propose the swift delivery of 223 homes on this brownfield and vacant site which has been the subject of anti-social behaviour for some time.
“The scheme will deliver a good mix of two, three and four bedroom homes for sale on the open market and for private rent and greatly assist the local authority meet its housing target which has fallen behind in recent years.
Important
“The site has been vacant for a significant amount of time and the approval of this application will finally bring much needed investment including the employment of local people.
“The applicants appreciate there is contamination of the site and remediation is very important.
“Countryside Properties has a strong track record of successfully developing high quality residential schemes on brownfield and heavily contaminated sites.
“Inevitably, trees will have to be removed for the development. But a detailed, high quality landscaping scheme will be provided to replace those lost and in respect of noise, the environmental health officer raised no objection.”
He added the company had worked with planning and highways officers to put forward a strong proposal.
A proposal for 250 houses on the site was first put forward in 2012, with outline planning permission granted in 2014.
When this wasn’t completed, a 210-property development was given the go-ahead in 2016, with a further 28 homes added to the plans last year, which again didn’t materialise. Countryside then acquired the site from Aurora Living.
It is anticipated remediation of the contaminated land will take around six months while work to stark laying down roads and sewers will take another three to six months.
The foundations of the first houses will then be started and Countryside anticipates the whole scheme could be completed in three or four years.
