Express & Star

Redundant fly-tipped land to become 'much-needed' affordable housing

A patch of disused land which has been subjected to fly-tipping is set to be transformed into new affordable housing.

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Bonner Grove, Aldridge. Photo: Google

Provider Walsall Housing Group (whg) has been given the go-ahead to build three new homes on Bonner Grove, Aldridge, which will be made available for affordable rent.

The development is part of whg’s ongoing project to take over small sites across the borough and build hundreds of much-needed homes.

More than 500 parcels of land have been identified, including former garages and vacant spaces, across the borough to be redeveloped.

Planning agent Arcus Consulting LLP said: “whg is a not-for-profit, affordable housing provider, responsible for 21,000 homes primarily in the borough of Walsall.

“They are committed to providing excellent, affordable homes to meet the needs of the local community.

“This application is part of the applicant’s initiative to increase development output through a combination of Traditional & Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to meet the growing demand for housing in the borough.

“The developments are designed to increase the housing availability in Walsall whilst transforming redundant ‘infill’ sites which are now disused and have fallen into disrepair.

“The site ‘hardstanding’ is currently redundant, and the site is subjected to a large amount of fly tipping over the walls from surrounding properties.”

An aerial view of vacant land on Bonner Grove, Aldridge. PIC: Arcus Consulting

They added: “whg strive to create high quality, affordable homes, built to an excellent standard that provide for the needs of the communities they serve and contribute towards sustainable and vibrant neighbourhood.”

Rebecca Bennett Casserly, whg’s corporate director of development, said: “These plans form part of phase 2 of our small sites project, which will see us build hundreds of new and affordable homes on disused land across Walsall.

“Although this is a small development of just three homes, it will be hugely impactful.

“The scheme will transform what is currently unwelcoming, vacant land into a well-designed attractive scheme of much-needed homes.”