The Red House: Work under way to transform Great Barr mansion into new homes
For more than 150 years, it was a mansion which took pride of place in a Black Country park.
But the Red House will soon be houses with work to convert it into living space well under way.
The Victorian country house is currently completely obscured by scaffolding as internal changes are carried out.
Developer Gr8 Space came forward after the mansion, in Red House Park, Great Barr, had been left derelict for more than a decade.
Many were uneasy about the prospect of the building being turned into homes but development bosses insisted it was an opportunity to bring it back into use while protecting its historic features.
Queen Victoria had only been on the throne for four years when the Red House was built in 1841 for Walsall MP Robert Scott.
It remained a gem of the park for decades but became run-down in recent times and a target for vandals.
In 2009, it was estimated it would cost £1.7million to bring the building back into use for the community, leaving development into homes the only realistic plan for its future.
The Red House is turned into eight apartments, while the coach house is also being converted into six three-bedroom homes.
Prices will start from £230,000 for the apartments and from £290,000 for the homes.
The development attracted plenty of opposition, with a petition containing more than 100 signatures handed in to Sandwell Council's planning committee ahead of the decision.
But Great Barr councillor Steve Melia said: "Most people are very pleased the Red House is being brought back into use.
"We are a little bit concerned about parking spaces being taken away from the park and are looking forward the the contractors providing some extra spaces.
"We will be using some finances allocated from the contractors for enhancements in and around the park."
