Last undeveloped land to be sold for housing (From Stourbridge News)

Last undeveloped land to be sold for housing

3:23pm Thursday 26th October 2006 in Local

A MULTI-MILLION pound deal could see one of the last undeveloped areas of Brierley Hill become a 60-home estate.

The 2.6-acre pocket of land on Delph Lane has attracted interest from major developers planning to convert the historic site into a mix of houses and apartments.

The land was used for a range of traditional Black Country trades - and as sheds on the site are cleared, the story of its industrial past is coming to light.

Gary Underhill, who's father bought the land in 1946, said: "It used to belong to the Earl of Dudley and has got to be the last part of Withymoor to be developed."

The 67-year-old from Rangeways Road, Kingswinford, began working at the site as a boy and many items including old machinery, household goods and books have surfaced as he prepares to sell.

He said: "I have lived a lifetime on this land. My father Herbert ran his demolition business from here."

Dave Bennett, from G2 land agents, who are handling the sale, said: "When we first opened up the doors of the sheds it was like an Aladdin's cave and the more we clear the more we find."

The site is valued at £2m to £3m and because of its size will be able to accommodate housing of varying sorts, something G2 say is important to the Underhill family and co-owner Ken Hutton, who lives in Brierley Hill.

Mr Bennett said: "There will be a bit of everything on this site, there aren't many estates like that anymore.

"These are Black Country people and what happens here is important to them.

"They have had opportunities to sell before, but it will be like a legacy for the area and it has got to be right."