No end to building site for another six years

A MULTI-million pound housing scheme will not be finished until 2026 – 10 years after it was first given planning permission. Permission to build more than 200 homes on a former dumping ground in West Bromwich was given in 2016.

But it has now emerged that the new housing estate, off Hall

Green Road, will not be completed for another six years.

The huge delay was revealed as Sandwell planning committee granted permission for an extra 28 houses as part of the scheme. Objectors opposing the scheme said it was a legal requirement for building work to start within three years.

Resident Nigel Fern, asking councillors to reject the plans said: “What the hell has been done to ensure continuation of the building work and keep the the application alive since the initial granting of the plan in 2016?”

Council officers said despite no homes being built the scheme could still go ahead because initial construction had begun.

Mark Horsley, for the developers Aurora Living Ltd, said the original plans were for 250 homes but had been scaled back to 238.

The site had been quarried for sand and gravel during the 1950s before being used as landfill for industrial waste.

Saying some foundations have been laid, he added the delay were due to remediation work to remove chemicals and oils.

Cllr Peter Allen, asking when it would be finished, said: “It’s big site and it’s been going on for some time so when would you see the properties being completed and occupied?”

In response, Mr Horsely, explained: “If I was to speculate, nine to 12 months to complete the remediation work and that’s building in a little flex. Over and above that our standard build rate is 50 dwellings per year.

“So realistically, it is probably looking at five to six years, but is is a big site and it has got an awful lot of problems.”