Controversial Brierley Hill HMO plan thrown out

Controversial plans for an 18-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been thrown out by Dudley Council planners.

The proposal, to convert a vacant office building on land between High Street and Albion Street in Brierley Hill, was rejected because planners concluded the design failed to respect the character of the existing building.

The application aimed to convert three Victorian-era buildings into an HMO and add extensions for office space, an amenity block and a communal room.

A report on the application from council planning officers said: “Whilst weight must be attached to the provision of residential development, which will help boost housing supply, it is determined that the proposal would result in unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the conservation area which significantly outweighs the benefits of the scheme in this instance.”

A previous application for a similar development was rejected in August 2025 and in their report officers acknowledged differences with the new design but added the council’s Historic Environment Team objected to the plan.

The officers’ report said: “Again, the proposal includes the retention of the northern building, which features distinctive arched head window openings and historic brickwork. 

“Whilst the intention to retain this structure is again noted, to achieve three floors of accommodation requires changes to the internal floor levels resulting in floors cutting across windows internally and the placement of modern windows above the original arched windows. 

“It is also now proposed to internally ‘block up’ the original windows to overcome amenity concerns. This is considered to result in a visually discordant and architecturally incongruous façade.”

The decision will be welcomed by campaigners, including ward councillors Adam Davies and Wayne Little, who organised a 283-name petition highlighting a range of concerns about the plan.

Along with unsympathetic design, objectors also argued the scheme was not delivering high quality housing, could potentially cause a rise in crime and would result in a loss of privacy for existing residents.

A statement supporting the application said: “The application has taken note of the pre-application comments and incorporated them into the final design of the scheme. 

“The scheme has been refined over months, adapting layouts and designs to fit the local character and site constraints, ultimately creating a suitable residential plan. 

“The need for housing and revitalizing the disused site justifies residential redevelopment, enabling the site’s regeneration and improvement to the local area.”