The old Wessex Close maisonettes were demolished in 2008. Image from the wonderful [Howmuch?] on Panoramio.

I’ve been meaning to cover a couple of local planning applications submitted by Walsall Housing Group to Walsall Council for a while. Sadly, the ever increasing volume of stuff to go up here has made this difficult, but I really should bring this to residents attention.

There have been two applications made so far, and a third is listed as a ‘Key Development’ on Walsall Council’s Brownhills strategy page on their website.

The two definite applications are as follows:

• This first is off High Street, opposite Silver Court, on the site of the former Wessex Close maisonettes. This is application number 13/0599/FL, submitted on the 9th May 2013 for the ‘Erection of 27 apartments for affordable rent with associated landscaping and parking.‘
• The second is on the corner of Short Street and Church Road, Brownhills, on the site of the former St. James home, now demolished. This is application number 13/0796/FL submitted on the 15th June 2013 and is for ’19 new build houses (9, two-bed, and 10, three bed) for market sale and affordable rent with gardens, landscaping, car parking and associated works.’

The third is listed on the Walsall Council Website as ‘Former Bailey House, Lindon Close / Rear of Silver Court Shops’ – but there are no details yet. That one could be big, and I’m very interested in it; such a development could be fantastic. Brownhills has long needed a replacement for Silver Court Gardens, and I hope the relevant bodies seize the opportunity.

I’ll be straight up here: I can’t see a problem with either of the two developments applied for. Since the demolition of social housing that previously occupied Wessex Close, as well as most of the other such housing of the postwar period in the area, we’ve been desperately short of affordable rented accommodation. I cannot see a valid objection to replacing this in the case of the former Wessex Close, and in the case of Short Street, it brings an empty, derelict site back to life.

I do, of course, welcome opinion on this, but as far as I can see, Brownhills will benefit from these developments if approved – they will bring some construction work to the town, and potential business, too.

My only reservation is that the Wessex Close plan looks a bit bland, and nowhere near as stunning as the recent development at Anchor Bridge.

I include images of both plans below for reader perusal, and include links to relevant planning documents at Walsall Planning Interactive.

The Wessex Close development is as follows:

The planned apartment block for Wessex Close. Please click for a larger version – image from documents supplied with the planning application.

The Short Street/Church Street development is as follows:

The Short Street plan is far more traditional in nature, and should fit well into the local neighbourhood. Please click for a larger version. Image from planning documents.