Plans to demolish disused Willenhall church to make way for housing and parking spaces

If approved, New Invention Methodist Church in Willenhall, along with the land behind it, could be developed into 18 homes with 33 parking spaces and a new access road.

The existing church, which dates back to 1893, has been vacant for 10 years with the land behind it unmaintained.

The site was allocated for housing development within Walsall’s local plan policies map, adopted in 2019.

Agents JBVJ Architects said the original scheme did look at retaining the church and turning it into apartments, but it meant that there would be no room to widen the single carriageway off the busy Lichfield Road.

The developers decided that demolishing the church and replacing it with houses would fit within the street scene and character, and would enable them to build a road wide enough for two cars.

The properties in the proposal are 18 three-houses.

Of those, 14 are semi-detached and four are detached.

The aesthetic of the homes will be a mixture of red brick, stucco render and Georgian style windows.

To allow better visibility when leaving and entering the site, the two properties located on Lichfield Road are set back.

JBVJ Architects said: “The site offers the opportunity to develop a neglected large parcel of land to create a regeneration opportunity for a brownfield site.

"The existing church, a non-designated heritage asset, has been vacant for 10 years and as such the subsequent land to the rear has been left unmaintained and vacant.

“The remote and derelict nature of the site attracts vandalism, particularly to the rear of the site which backs onto private residential gardens.

"The proposal will provide a positive contribution to the street scene and offers economic benefits and high quality housing, contributing to the growth of Willenhall.”