Plans for ‘overbearing’ flats in Wolverhampton thrown out by inspector

City of Wolverhampton Council’s planners backed a move to demolish a garage in Castle Street in Wolverhampton city centre and replace it with new flats but stood firm over the building’s height – saying a proposed plan for three-storeys was too tall.

Two planning applications were submitted at the same time by developer AAJ Property Management – one asking for permission to build a three-storey block with six apartments and another for a two-storey building with four flats.

Despite the council approving the smaller building, an appeal was then made to the government’s planning inspectors – who have the power to overrule the council – in a bid to get the decision overturned.

But the inspector sided with the council and threw out the appeal saying a three-storey building would be “inappropriate” as it would “exceed the historical scale and disrupt the established character of the area.”

“The eastern side of Castle Street is defined by smaller, ancillary buildings that support the primary buildings on Queen Street,” the planning inspector said in a report outlining the refusal.

“Introducing a taller, more prominent building would create a visual imbalance, overwhelming the modest nature of the existing ancillary buildings and undermining the subordinate role that these buildings traditionally play.”

Revised proposals – including a reduction in the height of the building – were submitted during the appeal but were ruled out by the inspector who said the new designs were ‘fundamentally different’ and the appeal process should not be used to “evolve” applications.

City of Wolverhampton Council said the move to build a three-storey building in Castle Street would be overbearing and “out of place” and would be “competing” with the listed buildings in Queen Street.

The council’s planners added that some of the details in the work – particularly the windows – would be “out of character” and not match neighbouring buildings.

A statement included with the application by AAJ Property Management said the work would be a “significant improvement” for the area but the council disagreed.

“We believe the proposals provide an exciting opportunity to remove a detrimental building within the conservation area and replace it with a more traditionally designed and characterful building, based on historic precedent,” it said.

The council’s planners welcomed the two-storey plans saying the size of the ‘Georgian-inspired’ building would make a “positive contribution” and a “more active frontage.”

“The two-storey height will not harm the setting of the listed buildings along Queen Street, including 47 Queen Street as historically the precedent for a two-storey building here has been evidenced and it would not appear out of character when viewed within the context of other buildings in close proximity to the site,” the council said in a report outlining its decision.

The offices were last used by a solicitor firm several years ago.West Midlands law firm Challinors was plunged into administration in 2013 after it was revealed the struggling business had £11m debts forcing dozens to lose their jobs.

The council approved an application to convert the grade II listed building into a nine-room house of multiple occupation (HMO) in 2018. At the time, the application said the building was “dated and below average” and there were “signs that [the] deterioration was beginning to worsen.” The conversion promised to “breathe new life into the rundown property.”

A new plan for nine bedsits was then approved in 2020.