Historic Tipton site set to accommodate council houses

New council houses are set to be built on the site of a historic colliery in Tipton.

The houses, compromised of ten new bungalows and eight apartments, are set to be located on land at Beever Road, Tipton.

Councillors at a cabinet meeting discussed a report on the much-needed affordable houses in Sandwell and recommended Tony McGovern, the director of regeneration & economy, submit an application to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

They also recommended accepting grant funding – estimated to be £0.657m - offered by Homes England, if successful, to help build the homes.

Work to build the homes on site will commence by March 2023 and must be complete by March 2025 in order to comply with grant funding conditions.

Historically, the land was occupied by a section of the disused ‘Eagle Colliery’ works.

Residential housing was recorded in the 1930s before being demolished in the mid-1970s.

The site was appropriated for allotment purposes in the 1980s, but ceased in the 1990s following a report the site was unsuitable due to contamination. The site has remained vacant since.

Critically, the council’s own finance appraisal report states site has “never been marketed for sale” and the level of market interest from private developers is “unknown”.

It also states the construction costs for privately-owned apartments do not exceed £110,000 for a two-bedroom flat, adding “the proposed option may not optimise value for money for the council.”

Zahoor Ahmed, cabinet member for housing, said: “Two bungalows are fully wheelchair-accessible for people with severe needs.

“The proposal will provide new high quality affordable housing stock utilising council-owned land.”

There are currently more than 9,800 people on Sandwell Council’s housing register, of which approximately a third are existing tenants requesting property transfers.

With more than 65 per cent of all housing applicants requiring properties with two or more bedrooms, additional affordable housing is needed across the borough.

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