Bedsit plan for Brownhills shop rejected
A proposal to convert an old Brownhills kitchen shop into bedsits has been thrown out by planners.
Developers Just Rooms (Midlands) Ltd had wanted to transform the former R B Tonks Fitted Kitchens shop on Lichfield Road in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) with eight rooms.
They said demand for retail premises in the area was quickly diminishing and turning empty shops into other uses would stop crime and the deterioration of the buildings.
But planners at Walsall Council rejected the proposal for a number of reasons including the impact of noise from the busy street for those moving in, and disturbances it would cause neighbours.
They also said the application "would fail to respect the existing character of the area and as such would not provide a level of amenity that existing residents along Lichfield Road currently experience".
The developers had planned to create four rooms on the ground floor which had been the shop and reconfigure the first floor to provide four more rooms.
The application said: "Existing retail shops in the surrounding area are closing down and changing use to become private use, such as residential.
"The need for little retail shops as this type are no longer required and buildings falling in disrepair and attract crime.
"There is not great demand for retail space in the local area.
"By changing the use of the ground floor into residential will help the building to remain in good order and help with the current need of good residential living space in the local area."
In their decision notice, planners said: "The proposal to create eight single aspect flats would fail to respect the existing character of the area and also fail to provide any noise relief to the proposed occupiers from general noise and disturbance."
