Rejected community centre plan with no parking at disused garage returns with just one space

A planning application to convert the empty building in Sams Lane, West Bromwich, into a new 70-seat community centre was rejected last year by Sandwell Council over a lack of detail about car parking.

The plan by Jaimal Bhandal has now been put forward again to the council with a parking space for just one car.

Sams Lane, where the community centre could be built, is a narrow road and covered with double yellow lines. The adjoining Spon Lane also has strict parking restrictions and many of the surrounding residential streets also have double yellow lines.

Last year’s rejected application contained no information about parking and the latest plans include one space for pick-ups and drop-offs. The application said every other visitor to the community centre would either have to walk or just nearby Thomas Street and George Street – which is just over five minutes away – to park.

Drawings included with the applications show how the former garage would be converted into a new community centre with a stage, space for around 70 seats, a disabled toilet, a kitchen and a meeting room across two floors. Planners at Sandwell Council said that because there was no information in the planning application that showed how up to 70 people could be accommodated at the new community centre, they could not support the work.

A metal shutter at the front of the building would have been replaced with a new glass entrance and a new roof would also have been installed. The brick building would have been covered in white render with a new slate roof, according to the application.

A statement included with the application said: “Parking is a real challenge on this particular site due to the nature of it… In terms of public parking, George Street is a five-minute walk away from the site and provides two methods of parking. George Street provides free on-street parking for a short stay of two hours on both ends of the street. Further free on-street parking is available on Thomas Street.

“We also have Thomas Street/George Street car park for a long stay with pay-and-display, which is around six minutes from the proposed site, as well as a few other pay-and-display car parks in the vicinity.”