Express & Star

Shops unit and flats plan for derelict land in Wolverhampton

Plans to build a new retail premises with two single flats above on a stretch of derelict land in Wolverhampton have been sent to the city council.

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The area of undeveloped land on Dudley Road in Blakenhall, Wolverhampton. Photo: Google Street View

The application, submitted by Mr Sandeep Shinh, is for an undeveloped and overgrown site between numbers 434a and 434c Dudley Road, Blakenhall.

A statement from Mr Amit Nagda of Oldbury-based KAD Designs, the agents acting on behalf of Mr Shinh, said the proposed development would consist of a retail unit on the ground floor and residential flats on the second and third.

“The site is fairly level ground which formerly had a couple of trees that were removed some time ago. Overall, the land has not been well-maintained and has been used as a dumping site. Also, the frontage has been used as a bin space by an adjoining food unit,” said the statement.

“It is located within an area known as a ‘local centre’ under the Wolverhampton Unitary Development Plan (UDP) adopted in 2006. The role of local centres is to provide day-to-day convenience shopping needs to a population mostly within walking distance.

“The existing piece of land is just over 160 square metres in size and is in urgent need of development. The adjacent properties are mostly Victorian terraced houses with retail units on the ground floor and residential living or offices above.”

“These old Victorian properties have been designed without any car parking areas allocated to them – hence the council and highways have included off-street car parking provisions wherever possible on the main Dudley Road and streets off the main roads,” it added.

“The flats will have the bedroom at the front and an open plan kitchen/lounge at the rear. The height and the width of the new development will be similar to quite a few of the adjoining buildings.”

Council planners will make a decision on the proposals in the near future.