The opening of new stores in Walsall Wood has always been an event. Photo taken from ‘Memories of Old Walsall Wood’ by Bill Mayo & John Sale.
A number of friends and readers have recently asked me what’s going on on the old car sales lot at Street’s Corner where, after a long period of abandonment, hoardings have gone up and work seems to be underway.
Permission was granted for the site back in 2010 for the construction of a shop, with flats above it and parking. The application also included some junction improvements. The planning application is listed on Walsall Council’s planning interactive service as 10/1605/F ‘Erection of retail store with two apartments above and associated parking’. I was going to link to the plans and feature the details in this post for all to see – sadly, the documentation appears to have been lost from the application, which is a shame.
What is suggested is a reasonably large, plain modern store. Rumour in the village at the time of the application suggested it was to be a Co-op, but I find that unlikely since a new one is soon to open in the former Spring Cottage at Shelfield, although it would be good to see the Co-op back in The Wood after all these years. An alcohol sales license has been applied for. It’ll be nice for the Tesco Express over the road to get some competition. Every little helps.
I’m kicking myself over this as I studied the documents and intended to blog it when the application was made, but never got around to it. I wish I had now.
These houses have been derelict for at least a decade to my knowledge. A terrible waste, really.
Meanwhile, the nearby row of derelict flats and terraces on the Brownhills Road which I posted about way back in 2009 also look set to be redeveloped. After a huge period of dereliction and decay, permission has been granted for the razing of the former Accord Housing Association flats and adjacent derelict semis, and subsequent construction of a new close of ten homes constructed in their place.
The proposed development as viewed from Brownhills Road. Image grabbed from ‘Street Scene’ document submitted with the application. Click the image to see the original. PDF file, Adobe Reader required.
The planning application for this development can be viewd online. It’s 11/1226/FL Demolition of existing properties and construction of 10 houses, including new access. I welcome this development – it looks pleasant enough, and anything that rids us of the awful eyesore of the derelict buildings is to be applauded. Information on the application can be viewed by clicking the following links – most are PDF files and will require Adobe Reader, but I’m sure you’ve already got that.
The proposed site layout - note the date on the drawing of March 2006. Has this really been knocking around for six years? From documents supplied with the planning application. Click for a full-size version.