Calls for controversial housing plans to be brought before Walsall committee
A controversial approval for two homes in a conservation area should be decided by the planning committee, again, according to a local building consultant.
Plans to build two five-bedroom houses on Barr Lakes Lane have already been approved once by Walsall Council’s planning committee at a meeting on June 19, 2025.
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But planning consultant and Barr Beacon resident Patrick Cluxton said the decision was ‘hopelessly wrong’.
The committee approval followed objections from half of the statutory consultees, including conservation, ecology, highways and planning policy.
The council’s principal solicitor also warned that approving the plans would put the authority in a ‘vulnerable position’.
But words had little effect as members were undeterred in getting the application over the line.
The decision faced major backlash from councillors, community groups and residents.
Now, eight months after the planning committee approval, a decision notice has still not yet been issued.
While the committee members decided to approve the plans, Walsall Council said the ‘resolution required further documents and the completion of a legal obligation first’.
Patrick said: “The question that is on the minds of a lot of other people is can planning services issue a notice of refusal in opposition to the committee’s resolution to approve?
“It doesn’t matter what amendments the applicant makes, none of that will justify the departure from the National Planning Policy Framework and the local planning policies.
“If the application with its amendments went back to the committee, that would give them the opportunity to change their minds. The reasons for refusal are ready to go and that would restore the proper process and the protection of the green belt and conservation area.”
Patrick also raised concerns about the submitted heritage statement, which has no author or company name.
He said: “The only people that should be doing a heritage statement are heritage consultants. The issue is whether the council will accept the heritage statement just because there is one? Or are they interested in the quality of it?
“If you can build two houses on this site, you can build two houses on any field in the green belt and in the conservation area.
“If you break green belt policy and conservation area policy once, you watch the developers. You watch the vultures circle.
“The alternative to bringing it back to committee is that legal services get together with planning services and overrule the committee and issue a notice of refusal.”
Walsall Council has been approached for comment.
