New affordable housing development in the heart of West Bromwich
Black Country Housing Group (BCHG), a housing association in the West Midlands, has commenced work on a landmark affordable housing development in the heart of the West Bromwich Conservation Area. The scheme is adjacent to a number of listed buildings, including West Bromwich Library, Town Hall, and the Magistrates Court. The development was carefully designed to complement its distinctive heritage surroundings.
“It’s a real privilege to officially welcome the construction of a new social housing scheme at Tomlinson Court on the site of the former Gas Showroom. The development will comprise 26 affordable rent homes in the heart of West Bromwich town centre being delivered by Black Country Housing Group.
This is not just bricks and mortar. These are 26 new homes which will be available to those on the council’s housing waiting list. As part of the deal, the council also worked with Black Country Housing Group and Sandwell College to find a suitable approach to deliver the new STEM engineering campus on the site of the Former Shaftesbury House and find a use for this longstanding vacant site”, said Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Leader of Sandwell Council.
“Whilst challenges arose during the planning application stage, positive and open communication was used to overcome them. This enabled us to resolve matters swiftly and keep to reasonable timescales” said William Stevens, Principal Planner at Sandwell Council.
Construction began in March 2025, with completion expected by October 2026. Excelsior Land Ltd have been appointed as the main contractor. BCHG appointed PMP Consultants as its Employer’s Agent and Waldeck Consulting as its Clerk of Works and Principal Designer (CDM).
“This is a significant step in delivering high-quality, sustainable, and affordable homes that meet local need. We’re proud to be working in partnership with Sandwell Council, Excelsior Land Ltd, PMP Consultants and Waldeck, providing modern, energy-efficient homes in West Bromwich”, said Black Country Housing Group’s Chief Executive Adrian Eggington.
“Regenerating brownfield sites is a key part of our mission, and we look forward to delivering many more impactful projects like this in the future”, said Stewart Bates, Commercial Director at Excelsior Land Ltd.
“Waldeck are pleased to be working with BCHG on this exciting new development and are looking forward to its successful completion”, said Kirsty Tune, Regional Director at Waldeck Consulting.
“I'm proud to be working as Employer’s Agent on the new development in collaboration with BCHG and Excelsior Land Limited - delivering 26 quality homes to the community.
This project holds a special place in my heart. My father was an Architect for British Gas in the 1980s and he worked alongside the Interior Designer of the original Gas Showroom.
We are looking forward to seeing this vision come to life and continuing to build homes with purpose and legacy”, said Claire Halliburton, Managing Director at PMP Consultants.
The homes will be built to Modern Methods of Construction Category Two with timber frame construction, reducing the build period, improved safety through factory assembly, and enhanced quality and sustainability. To meet BCHG’s commitment to social value, Excelsior Land Ltd will prioritise the appointment of local sub-contractors, apprentices and suppliers of building materials.
