Dilapidated West Bromwich club will be demolished for flats
A ‘dilapidated’ former working men’s club will be demolished to make way for flats after plans received the backing of a council.
Sandwell Council has approved plans to flatten the old West Bromwich Working Men’s Club in Dudley Street and replace it with a four-storey block of flats.
The building is described as in a “serious state of disrepair” according to the application by ‘Mr Muneer’ and needed to be demolished “purely on health and safety grounds.”
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A total of 14 one and two-bed flats would replace the old building.
The application also describes the former working men’s club, next to Dudley Street Guns Village tram stop, as having a vermin problem and a flooded basement.
In a report, the council said: “It is considered that the former vacant working men’s club has been vacant for a number of years and its re-development would uplift the site and provide additional housing in the borough. The streetscape is varied due to the edge of town centre location and a four-storey building would not be detrimental to the street scene or locality.
“The removal of the trees on the eastern part of the site doesn’t raise any significant concerns as they are unprotected and there are also trees on the other side of the boundary to the petrol station that will act as screening.”
A statement included with the application said: “The existing building […] is dilapidated and is a danger to those entering, also with a major vermin problem and the building being used for anti-social purposes, local residents are impacted in a negative way.
The former club was also damaged by rot and a fire which had “compromised” the building’s whole structure.
“Boundary walls have crumbled, or the pointing has, or is, failing,” the application continued. “Internally the whole building is in a serious state of disrepair. The basement is completely flooded, floors at ground floor and first floor are bowed, lifted or missing, some internal walls and ceilings are beyond repair due to water damage and a lack of maintenance.”
