West Bromwich: Walsall Street church to be demolished to make way for 10 new flats

The Forever Living Christ Ministries International Church in Walsall Street, West Bromwich, will be knocked down and replaced with a new four-storey building totalling nine one-bed flats and one three-bed flat.

The plan, which was put forward more than 18 months ago, originally asked for permission to build 12 two-bed flats, but the designs were changed five times and eventually reduced in size before its approval.

Sandwell Council’s planners said the new block of flats would not block light or disrupt privacy for neighbours after two objections were raised against the application.

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The objectors said the block was “out of character” and would cause parking problems. The plans include eight parking spaces and four electric vehicle charging points, which the council’s highways department said was enough, and West Midlands Police raised no objections after concerns were raised about potential anti-social behaviour.

However, while the church will now be demolished for new flats, an application to demolish a neighbouring warehouse that has been left empty for more than a decade was recently rejected by the same council planners.

The planning application to knock down the former tools shop in Walsall Street, West Bromwich, and build 12 flats was rejected by planners at Sandwell Council over “insufficient information” in the application.

The council said the planning application by Phoenix Mason did not contain enough information on the three-storey building’s design, parking spaces or drainage and flood risk which meant it could not properly assess the plans.

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The designs that were submitted were still criticised by the council, with some of the flats labelled “very oppressive” and “restrictive.” The outlook from some flats and the lack of windows in others would create an “extremely poor living environment,” the council said.

The warehouse has been empty since 2013 after Midway Tools moved to Telford.