Walsall Council has approved a planning application to convert the Midland Hotel, located at 20 Station Street, into a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) designed to house homeless individuals temporarily.
The council acquired the hotel in May 2025 and subsequently submitted a retrospective planning application three months later to formalize the conversion of the 14-bedroom hotel into an HMO. This application was made through the council’s Walsall Home Improvement Agency, which supports disabled and vulnerable people.
The property will be used to fulfill the council’s statutory obligations by offering temporary accommodation, with residents expected to stay for an average of 22 days. Despite concerns from planning officers regarding the concentration of large HMOs in Walsall, the application was deemed acceptable because the temporary nature of the occupants would not significantly alter the building’s operational use as a hotel.
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Some issues were raised about the absence of outdoor or green spaces for residents and the adequacy of kitchen facilities, given the number of occupants. However, officers noted that since the tenants are transient, conventional amenity standards do not fully apply.
Situated in a conservation area near Grade II listed buildings at 22, 23, and 24 Station Street, the building’s exterior will remain unchanged. The development includes no parking spaces but provides a cycle store at the rear.
The council highlighted the project’s benefits, emphasizing the use of a brownfield site to address housing needs amid a lack of a five-year housing land supply and a recent housing delivery shortfall. While recognizing issues linked to the high density of HMOs in parts of the borough—such as poor living conditions, anti-social behavior, waste management, and parking challenges—the council confirmed that this transitional use closely resembles the building’s previous hotel function and does not introduce significant new concerns.