Major plans approved for arson-hit Willenhall building
Major plans to transform a fire-hit building in Willenhall town centre have been approved.
The former Chamberlain’s pub on Upper Lichfield Street now has permission to become a 12-bed house of multiple occupation and a multi-use community hall.
The application was submitted by the New Testament Church of God, located just three doors away on the same street.
After Chamberlain’s closed in 2015, the building was converted into a laser quest venue but that closed the following year.
Since then it has remained vacant and fallen into dilapidation, with half of the property completely destroyed by fire in 2021.
The church plans to convert the front half of the property into a 12-bed HMO, spread across two storeys. Each tenant will have their own en-suite and will share two kitchens between them.
For the rear half, which is currently a shell of four walls with no roof due to the fire, the church hopes to reinstate the roof making it half a two-storey building and create a community events space with catering and toilet facilities.
The 528 square metre site is located within the Willenhall Conservation Area. The rear of the building, the Chamberlain Unionist Club, dates to the mid 19th century and is locally listed.
Access to the rear community events space will be from Angel Passage, the pedestrian walkway linking Morrisons car park to Willenhall’s Market Place.
Access to the proposed HMO at the front of the site will be from Upper Lichfield Street.
