‘Marvellous’ affordable homes scheme to transform 'dilapidated' factory site
Dilapidated buildings which are beyond repair will be transformed by a ‘marvellous’ affordable housing scheme in Willenhall.
Members of Walsall planning committee gave the thumbs up to convert the old Eagle Works and Shakespeare Inn sites into 51 homes which will all be affordable housing.
The proposal was put forward by Fitzpatrick Group and GreenSquareAccord and will feature 31 one and two-bedroom apartments and 20 two, three and four-bedroom houses.
The site is based on Somerford Place, Summer Street and Pinson Street – were previously home to the premises of Middleton Paper Company for more than half a century before the firm moved to a new location.
All the existing buildings on the site will be demolished to make way for the new apartments and houses.
Katie Parsons, planning consultant for the applicants, said: “This is a proposal for an established registered local provider to deliver a 100 per cent affordable housing scheme on a vacant site.
“There obviously is great need for new housing across Walsall and this scheme will directly feed into the aspirations of the Willenhall framework plan.
“We’ve worked closely with officers from the development stage to the current stage to ensure the scheme meets your requirements and those of the statutory consultees and will have its own character and design distinctiveness rather than presenting a pastiche of existing nearby buildings.
“This is a dilapidated building which would not lend itself to being converted to beneficial use.
“To allow it to be bought into use, a more modern contemporary scheme is required to provide suitable residential amenity, address any contamination and future proof the scheme against potential flood risk.
“It will deliver much needed high quality housing in a sustainable location on a brownfield site.”
Ward councillor Simran Cheema said: “I highly welcome this planning application. I do hope it will bring footfall into our town as well and there are also nearby amenities such as the park so it will be a good location which the residents can enjoy.
Councillor Mark Statham added: “I think it is a marvellous application bringing forward well-needed houses and hopefully offset some of the Green Belt that maybe lost by developing this brownfield site.”
