Cranes move in to demolish historic Wolverhampton house
Cranes have moved into a site of a former historic house in Tettenhall which is being demolished as developers build retirement apartments on the land.
The huge cranes first appeared along Stockwell Road in the Tettenhall area of Wolverhampton earlier this month as part of work to demolish the Clock House.
They could be seen through the leafy trees on Tettenhall Pool and angered residents and ward councillors who are against the development and the demolition of the house.
Councillor Jonathan Yardley, of Tettenhall Regis ward posted a photo of the crane on Twitter said: "Lovely evening view over #tettenhall green oh and the destruction of our best conservation area in the background!"
The house was once owned by Edward Swindley who donated Tettenhall’s landmark clock tower on Upper Green in 1911.
A scale model of the Tettenhall clock stood Mr Swindley's garden and has been preserved by developers McCarthy & Stone.
The company is currently building 22 retirement apartments on the land, having obtained planning permission from the national planning inspectorate.
Permission was only granted after the firm appealed the decision of Wolverhampton City Council who rejected the plans last year.
A total of 230 residents had written to the council to object to the proposals to build on the land. A petition with more than 160 signatures was also submitted.
Reasons for the objections included an potential increase in traffic on Stockwell Road and connecting roads; loss of trees and natural habitats; insufficient parking provision and a view that more retirement homes are not needed in the village.
The new ho,mes will be a mixture of one and two bedroom apartments for over 55s. The first occupiers could come as early as next January.
A sales launch event is planned by McCarthy & Stone in September, but apartments will also become available off-plan. Prices are yet to be confirmed.
McCarthy and Stone have been involved with a number of developments around the city including an assisted living complex in Tettenhall, on Wood Road.
