Walsall car wash plan set to be rejected

Walsall Council’s planning committee is being recommended to reject the application for the valet and car wash to continue on the old Warreners Arms in High Street, Brownhills for 12 months.

But applicants Super-Mart Limited, who want the business to continue for 12 months, fear its loss could result in problems on the derelict site such as crime, fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

This view has been supported by ward councillor Stephen Wade, who called in the officer decision to refuse permission, meaning it will now be debated on Thursday.

The applicants say it would continue to operate between 9am and 6pm and employ three full-time and four part-time members of staff.

Temporary permissions for the car wash business were granted several times between 2008 and January this year.

But the site has now been allocated for housing and, as a result, officers say they cannot support it continuing any longer.

They also said the condition of the pub was poor and the car wash and valeting service does nothing to address this problem.

In the application, agents Broad Planning and Architecture said: “While we are aware of an historic consent for conversion of the public house to residential use, this scheme has not come to fruition over a significant period of time.

“Therefore the proposal allows for a temporary use of the site until a permanent consent is granted and implementable on an otherwise vacant site for a continued use as a car wash and valet facility.

“The site has been actively marketed for seven years as a residential site however no purchasers have been found to date.

“The existing use has operated for at least nine years with no known issues in terms of highway, drainage, impact on local residents etc.

“The existing use of the site provides a modest level of employment and has provided a service for which there has been a proven need.

“The proposal would improve the visual appearance of the existing site, by improving the maintenance levels on the site and providing a temporary use until a suitable housing scheme can be delivered.

“The continued use of this site as a car wash and valeting facility, in the absence of any other planning approval coming to fruition, would see this otherwise vacant site put to use.

“Should it be allowed to become vacant, the site would have the likely potential to be fly tipped and to attract anti social behaviour.

“The re-use of the site would secure a temporary presence on the site and provide security to the former public house.”