Plans for 256 new Stourbridge canalside homes approved

Members of Dudley's development control committee discussed the plans for Old Wharf Road at last night's meeting (Wednesday November 17).

The site, off the busy A491 Amblecote High Street, is to be developed by Taylor Wimpey who won outline approval in November 2020 to transform the formerly industrial site into a new waterside housing estate.

Planners were told the Old Wharf Road scheme will comprise 10 one-bedroom flats, 41 two-bedroom flats, 10 two-bedroom homes, 98 three-bedroom properties and 97 four-bedroom homes.

Impression of the Taylor Wimpey development proposed for Old Wharf Road. Image released by Taylor Wimpey in 2020 when outline approval was granted

The homes will be two-storeys high and the flats will be located in three-storey apartment blocks.

Off-road parking is to be provided for all homes, with parking for the apartments provided in parking courts.

An area of public open space will be provided on land off Canal Street, between the River Stour and the Stourbridge Canal and next to an existing area of open space provided as part of an agreement made when the Doulton Brook estate was built.

All former buildings that were previously on site have now been demolished, the foundations removed and the land prepared for development.

Old Wharf Road

Councillor Nicolas Barlow, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge town, has previously welcomed proposals to develop the site but he raised a number of concerns about the application submitted - saying he considered the designs of the properties poor, lacking in character and not in keeping with the historic site and canalside location.

He branded the scheme an "overdevelopment of the site" and said the proposed affordable/social housing was offer was inadequate.

He also added that modern garages are never wide enough for family vehicles so inhabitants would likely take to parking on pavements on the streets.

Consideration must also be given to wildlife and birds which live by and visit the canal, he said, as well as expressing worries about the increase in traffic the scheme will generate in an already busy and congested area.

The operators of Allens Transport in Old Wharf Road, The Inland Waterways Association and Stourbridge Navigation Trust also submitted objections regarding the scheme.

However, planning officers said following revisions made by the developers to the layout and changes to the design of the houses and apartments the development was "considered to be appropriate and the design of all apartments and houses to be acceptable".

Having been recommended to approve the scheme, councillors gave it the green light at last night's planning meeting at Dudley Town Hall.

Cllr Barlow said he felt the development needed to be more sympathetic to the canalside location and historic environment in which it will be located and he added: "What's needed is a public consultation so people can see what it's going to look like."

Taylor Wimpey also has permission to build new homes on the former Tudor Dairies site off Bradley Road and in total both schemes will create 332 new properties.