A fresh planning application has been submitted to City of Wolverhampton Council seeking permission to build 47 flats adjacent to the Black Country Route and Railway Drive in Bilston.
The site, which has remained empty for years, has been the focus of numerous planning proposals. Similar plans for 47 flats were supported by council planners back in 2015. Following the initial submission in 2012-though not approved until three years later-larger scale proposals emerged, including schemes for 69 flats and a significant 11-storey block containing 107 flats. These latter plans, submitted in 2013 and 2015 respectively, were both rejected.
The developer appealed these decisions; however, government inspectors upheld the refusals. In 2020, another plan to erect 56 flats was put forward but ultimately withdrawn.
READ MORE: Popular sun cream banned in UK over safety concerns
READ MORE: Band D Homes in Wandsworth Set for Significant Council Tax Increase in April
The site is located beside the West Midlands Metro route near the former Bilston Central railway station, which closed in 1972. A replacement tram stop was opened in 1999 alongside the new metro line. Railway Drive, adjacent to the site, has been closed off to vehicular traffic for many years and has frequently suffered from fly-tipping.
In 2023, the land was listed for sale with an asking price of £1 million.
A statement accompanying the new application emphasises the redevelopment of previously developed land and highlights alignment with national and local planning policies aimed at optimising land use. The proposal focuses on one and two-bedroom apartments, targeted at smaller households.
The development is described as delivering an interesting, attractive, and high-quality environment, harmonising well with the surrounding residential areas. The scheme is said to avoid any significant harm to neighbouring properties’ amenities, ensuring no demonstrable issues related to overlooking, loss of privacy, or overshadowing.
Furthermore, the proposal is intended to create an appealing gateway for Bilston, enhancing the area’s character while maintaining appropriate separation between the new apartments and existing dwellings.