Plan for Dudley town centre apartment block rejected despite support from locals

Proposals for a three-story block providing seven new homes on the site of K Motor Services on Phoenix Passage, Dudley, were dismissed after the council concluded the design was not acceptable.

Outline permission already exists for development of the site but planners accepted a recommendation in an officer’s report.

The report concluded: “Whilst the principle of the proposed development is considered to be acceptable there are substantive concerns in relation to design, including the relationship with the conservation area, occupier amenity and neighbour amenity.”

A total of 29 letters of support were submitted in relation to the planned development highlighting its proximity to public transport and that it supported regeneration by providing new homes.

Officers noted 17 of the letters provided no reason for offering their support.

Highways officers were concerned about the design providing only four parking spaces for the entire building with no provision for visitors.

Planners concluded the site’s proximity to the town centre meant additional parking provision was not crucial to the scheme and there were no concerns from a highways safety point of view.

Trees close to the proposed building were also given as a reason for refusal.

On the decision notice issued for the application, Dudley’s head of planning Carl Mellor said: “There are three trees which adjoin the site and whilst due to the amount of existing hard standing and building foundations, it is not considered that the development of the site would impact on the roots of the trees, as habitable room windows are proposed in the rear elevation of the building which face directly towards the trees, there is a potential risk of shading which could result in requests for the trees to reduced or removed.”