Dudley fetish club plan - Council chiefs back controversial bid
A fetish club has renewed its bid to open in Dudley - with planning chiefs backing the scheme months after the original was blocked by councillors.
Council planners said their decision had been made without making 'a moral judgement on the nature of the club'.
The Valhalla Club, which would cater for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, disabled people and the vulnerable, would be based in premises in Dock Lane, opposite DudleyLeisure Centre.
Clive Thomson, owner of the alternative adult club, has lodged a fresh application for a change of use for the building. His first bid to open the club was rejected by councillors in December.
But since then a separate committee granted a licence for the club, to sell alcohol and for the airing of live and recorded music.
The previous application had referred to the venue as a 'private members club' - but the current bid states it would be a 'social club and photographic studio'.
A report which will go before members of the council's planning committee next week says: "The purpose of this report is to assess the suitability of the proposed use from a land use planning perspective and not to consider a moral judgement on the nature of the club.
"This proposed development will involve the re-use of an otherwise redundant building which has been shown to be no longer viable for further industrial use.
"On this basis, it is considered that the proposed change of use is acceptable in this location in compliance with the relevant policies."
But the application has so far received more than 30 objections with the main issues being the location of the site, close to the nearby Dudley Leisure Centre, religious buildings, a primary school and homes.
The club, which is finished inside and now waiting solely on the change of use to begin operations, has already been granted a license to sell alcohol by a separate committee.
Mr Thomson said: "We have gone through licensing and scrutiny committees all without issue.
"The planning department and officers are on board with us, it is now just the committee, and I believe the issues there are completely personal.
"It is a lack of understanding on their end, they don't understand what it is this club is."
At the planning meeting in December, Councillor Qadar Zada said he personally objected to the proposal as it was the 'wrong activity in the wrong place'.
The club's website describes it as an alternative lifestyle members club and photo shoot suite and provides information for those feeling apprehensive about attending fetish events.
The website states 'it is nothing like the Hollywood movies or horror films' and bosses insist it would not be a 'swingers' club and there would be no sexual acts at the site.
