Row of Wolverhampton garages set to be demolished for flats
A row of garages in Wolverhampton are set to be demolished to make way for a new block of flats.
City of Wolverhampton Council’s planning committee will decide on its own application to tear down the garages on the corner of Russell Street, Zoar Street and Merridale Street to make way for 12 new flats.
The council submitted an application to demolish the 36 garages a year ago and terminated leases with the garage owners.
The council’s planners have recommended the authority’s own planning application for the three-storey block of flats should be approved when the committee meets on September 9.
The report outlining the recommendation said: “The proposal would develop an under-utilised parcel of brownfield land to deliver 12 affordable housing units for the council.
The reuse of brownfield land is supported by planning policy and is in-line with the council’s broader aims of urban regeneration and renewal.
Any ground contamination present can be dealt with appropriately post-decision.
“The contribution towards meeting the council’s growing housing targets, and the delivery of affordable housing, carries significant positive weight in the determination of this planning application.
“The location and proposed layout would cumulatively deliver a good standard of amenity to any future residents.”
One objection was received against the plan from a neighour who said the three-storey block would block their existing views as well as sunlight.
The council’s planners admitted that “some harm” would come from overlooking but it would not be unacceptable.
The benefits of new housing ‘outweighed’ any such harm, the council added.
The report continued: “Whilst the majority of the surrounding uses would be unaffected by the proposal, some harm would come to three flats overlooking the site in the adjacent apartment building.
“Whilst there would be no unacceptable harm to privacy, impacts to both outlook and light availability would be noticeable for the residents.
“However, by virtue of the positioning and design, the proposal complies with the relevant planning policies in this matter, and the remaining harm to these rooms is not considered to be detrimental to their overall amenities.
“Furthermore, such harm would not outweigh the material benefits that the proposal would deliver.”
