Prime-Al Builders has submitted a planning application to Sandwell Council proposing the conversion of the historic Webb’s of Bearwood garden shop into two residential flats. Located on Three Shires Oak Road, Bearwood, Smethwick, the building, which dates back over a century, closed its doors in June 2025.
Previously, a section of the former garden shop had been converted into a flat by Prime-Al Builders without obtaining prior planning permission. Sandwell Council has since granted retrospective approval for this unauthorised conversion.
Earlier this year, Sandwell Council turned down an application to convert the shop into a one-bedroom flat, citing that a proposed extension did not comply with permitted development rights. However, a subsequent planning proposal received approval, with council planners stating: “No concerns are raised regarding the impact of the rear extension on adjacent properties. The removal of the front bay has made little difference to the streetscene and the render replaces blown brickwork which has improved the external appearance of the building.”
READ MORE: Rise in PIP Claims for ADHD and Autism Linked to Inequality in Diagnostic Access
READ MORE: Government urged to expand time-varying energy tariffs to all consumers
According to a statement accompanying the latest application, the ground floor, originally a flower shop, and the existing first-floor flat will be converted to create two flats. The proposal is described as “modest in scale and sympathetic to the original building.”
Webb’s garden shop had been an integral part of the local community for 104 years following its establishment in 1921 by Oliver John Webb, Pauline Davis’s grandfather. The business was family-run over five generations until its closure after the retirement of Pauline and Steve Davis.
Notably, Sandwell Council has previously rejected plans to convert part of the former garden shop into a takeaway service, due to concerns over increased traffic and parking issues in Bearwood, as well as policies preventing new takeaways from opening adjacent to residential properties.