Flats planned for site of demolished GP surgery

Plans for new flats to be built on the site of a former doctor's surgery which was demolished without permission look set to be approved.

Sandwell Council approved plans to convert the empty former doctor's surgery in Newton Road, Great Barr, into eight new flats in 2024.

The planning application included building a number of two-storey extensions adding balconies, and carrying out a loft conversion, to make way for the flats.

However, when work finally began in June, the building was eventually demolished after it was deemed unsafe by a structural engineer but without permission from the council.

The developer was told the unauthorised demolition of the building meant the planning permission for the eight flats had been cancelled in August, which resulted in the submission of the new application.

Sandwell Council's planning committee meets on 7 January with a report from the local authority's planning officers recommending the work should be approved.

Ten objections were made against the plan during public consultation.

The plan was criticised by objectors over the potential for the flats to add to parking problems while also calling them "out of character" and the site "overdeveloped".

The council's planning officer said: "The previous use as a doctors' surgery would have generated significantly higher daily traffic movements, with multiple patient visits throughout the day, in addition to staff, deliveries and healthcare related transport.

"[…] Aside from the feature gable projections, the footprint of the proposed building is essentially identical to the previous doctors' surgery.

"Pages Lane and the surrounding area contains a variety of residential building types, which include large, detached houses and flats.

"In my opinion the development would significantly improve this prominent corner frontage from the dated previous doctor's surgery that had limited architectural merit."

The former doctor's surgery has been empty since private healthcare company Summerfield Heath went into administration in 2023.

A statement included with the latest application said: "It is important to note that every reasonable and practicable effort was made to implement the permission in accordance with the approved drawings and methodologies.

"However, due to a series of interrelated structural deficiencies and safety concerns that arose during the course of the initial works, full demolition of the existing building became necessary.

"As a result, the development is no longer capable of being implemented in accordance with the approved permission, and said permission is therefore considered null and void."

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