Homes proposal for Tipton site hit by flytippers

Eyesore land repeatedly hit by flytippers in Tipton will be turned into 10 homes after being put up for sale by Sandwell Council.

Birmingham-based MDH Properties Ltd has applied for permission to transform land in Toll End Road into eight terraced houses and two semi-detached houses.

Housing was previously on the site but was bought by the council 25 years ago for a road-widening scheme which never came to fruition.

Documents submitted with plans by Oldbury-based chartered architect Lane Lister Associates said the derelict site has become overgrown in recent years, documents said.

Ward Councillor Derek Rowley said the proposals would fit in with the existing residential area.

"The site is an eyesore and has become overgrown and hit by flytippers," he said. "Over the years the council has paid to have it cleared up five or six times.

"The housing will turn around the site, which used to be terraced houses years ago before it was purchased by the authority for a road-widening scheme talked about for years which never happened."

He added: "The land is next to houses and it would be wrong to put anything else in there, like an industrial premises, because it would then affect the existing homes and residents."

The site is one of 18 sites put up for sale by the authority after being deemed "surplus to requirements".

The authority has made £388,000 from the sale of 15 sites vacant land and empty shops and offices. It now plans to identify more sites for sale in the coming weeks.

The council is trying to save £75 million over the next four years and is selling off land and buildings across the borough to bring in extra cash. In total, the portfolio is worth about £4 million.

Land already offloaded includes plots at Carisbrooke Road, Wednesbury; Halesowen Street in Rowley Regis; Lea Avenue Wednesbury; Toll End Road, Tipton and Jervoise Street West Bromwich.

Also sold off was the former Dolmac site in Tipton, which was bought by the council to make way for the construction of Tipton's Owen Street underpass.