Residents lose battle to stop large house with gym and cinema being built, despite hostel fears

Proposals to demolish Alder Coppice, a large four-bedroom detached house in Greenleighs, Sedgley, and replace it with a six-bedroom property, have been approved by Dudley Council.

The plans attracted 10 objections from neighbours, as well as a letter from Dudley North MP Marco Longhi.

The proposals superseded earlier proposals for an eight-bedroom detached to be built on the site at the end of the road.

Residents said they were responsible for the upkeep of the narrow lane, which they feared would be damaged as a result of the work.

A report to Dudley Council described Alder Coppice as a large four-bedroom detached house set with in a generous plot with ample parking to the front.

"The property occupies a secluded location at the head of a narrow residential street with its frontage almost entirely bounded by hedgerows and trees," said the report.

"It is proposed to demolish the existing dwelling and erect a replacement six-bedroom detached house with integral garage, having a basement level providing gym and cinema room.

"Greenleighs otherwise serves some 20 characteristically mixed dwellings, largely detached houses of different designs, typically occupying generous plots."

Resident Diane Groves said the appearance of the new property was totally 'out of sync' with the rest of the road.

"No respect or consideration has been given to the character of the lane," she said.

"The plans for the proposed new property includes six en-suite bedrooms.

"It implies multiple occupancy which potentially means far more traffic along the lane."

Resident Christine Hooper said neighbours had already suffered two years of disruption during restoration work on another house in the road.

"The amount of vegetation and wildlife that will be lost is enormous," she said.

Michael Legg said construction work on a neighbouring property had resulted in damage to the grass verge outside his house and broken tree branches.

He said it also caused damage to the road surface which residents had just spent £10,000 repairing.

Mr Legg said there was no on-road parking in Greenleighs, meaning that tradesmen were parking their vehicles on neighbours' drives.

Concerns were also voiced that in future the loft may be converted to create more rooms.

Planning officer Sarah Wilkes said that while the proposed property would be larger than the house it replaced, Greenleighs was characteristically mixed with large dwellings occupying typically generous plots.

"While large, it is not considered that the replacement would be disproportionate or detract significantly from this context," she said.

Councillors approved the plans subject to a series of conditions, including the submission of a management plan to minimise disruption during construction.