FEARS over contaminated blood on the site of a former slaughterhouse have not stopped Dudley councillors granting outline planning permission for new homes.

Members of Dudley Council’s development control committee have given the provisional green-light to the use of an access point of possible residential development on the land between Lake Street and Loweswater Drive in Lower Gornal.

Buildings on the site include a former meat processing factory and abattoir.

Planning officers said initial plans for the land envisaged three buildings of two stories and one three story apartment block for six apartments but warned these were subject to change at the full planning stage.

Neighbouring homes had objected to plans saying local roads could not accommodate the increase in traffic.

Supporting residents’ concerns over congestion, committee member Cllr Bryan Cotterill said he also had fears about contamination on the site from its days as a slaughterhouse.

“I know the site well, has anything be done about contamination because I see the environmental health have made no comment?

He added: “I thought that because of the blood from animals there would have been contamination on the land.”

Officers explained that if councillors granted outlying planning permission conditions attached to the consent meant any work would be halted if any contamination was discovered.