Plan to transform disused land in Walsall into 150 homes gets approved

A plan to transform disused land which has suffered with anti-social behaviour into a large housing scheme has been given the go-ahead.

Avant Homes will build 150 new homes on five acres of derelict space between Harden Road and Whateley Road in Blakenall now that approval has been granted.

Outline permission was previously granted and now planning officers at Walsall Council have given the thumbs up to a ‘reserved matters application’ which means they are happy with the scale, layout, appearance and landscaping of the scheme.

The land is designated as Green Belt but the developers said it has been derelict for a number of years and said this presented a good opportunity to transform it.

They said: “The application site has been a long-term concern for local residents and local councillors due to reoccurring anti-social behaviour problems (fires, BMX riding, scrambling etc) and it is considered that, to address this in the long term, a solution would be to bring forward the site for residential development.

“The site is situated within an area which is dominated by residential properties to the south and west with a large area of open space to the east.

“Given the predominance of housing in the area a new housing development would be wholly appropriate.

“It is considered that the residential use on the site is both appropriate and necessary for the regeneration of the area. The proposed use does not conflict with the existing or potential occupiers of the adjacent areas.”

They added: “The regeneration of this derelict site represents an opportunity to comprehensively develop this redundant area of land to create a new residential development in line with local planning policy spatial designations.

“The underlying strategy is to help transform the area and create a high quality environment which is fully integrated within the existing urban structure and meets the needs of modern living, that will offer a range of housing options that reflect varying housing needs. The site lies within part of the West Midlands Green Belt but has been left in a derelict state for many years and has been the subject of long-standing anti-social behaviour.”