Council decision to reject converting West Bromwich home into sweet shop will be reviewed
An appeal has been launched over a decision to reject converting a West Bromwich home into a South Asian sweet shop.
Sandwell Council refused a planning application to convert the house in Walsall Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich, into the sweet shop saying it would cause too many problems for neighbours.
The local authority said the planned conversion of the semi-detached house by Deepak Verma would create extra noise and odours for neighbours and add to existing parking problems.
However, despite the strong objections from Sandwell Council in refusing the plan, the conversion could still go ahead after an appeal was lodged with the government’s planning inspectors who will be given the final say.
A total of 11 objections were received against the plans from neighbours when the application was submitted earlier this year.
The council rejected the plan in August saying it was “inappropriate” for the largely residential area.
The council’s highways officers also objected to the new shop saying the plans only provided a third of the required parking spaces and would add to existing problems.
“There is on-street parking close to the site but there are a number of dropped crossings along the length reducing the amount of potential parking, the increase in parking and trip rates to the site increases the risk of parking across residents’ dropped crossings, affecting the resident amenity,” the objection said.
“Existing residents also already use this on-street parking, ultimately the site would displace this parking elsewhere.”
The council’s public health department also raised “serious” concerns about the plans over the potential for more noise and odours in the largely residential area.
The council’s planning officers continued: “These types of Asian sweet centres increasingly also have an element of ancillary hot food takeaway, and although this is not specified in the submission documents, they do utilise the services of fast-food delivery companies.
“This would result in increased comings and goings to the premises that would affect residential amenity and also increase demand on street parking.”
The home’s kitchen and living room would make way for the store’s counter and seating area with an outbuilding converted into a kitchen.
The planning application also includes an extension and plans to convert the upper floor of the home into a one-bed flat.
The shop would open from 9am to 8pm every day.
