Firm fearing worst by new homes move

A 30-year-old glazing firm fears it will be put out of business by plans to build nearly 100 new homes in Cradley Heath.

Several industrial and commercial buildings at the former F. & L. Smout & Sons site in Woods Lane, Cradley Heath, will be flattened and replaced with a mix of 82 new homes and 15 flats under plans by Liberty Developments.

The application was approved by Sandwell Council’s planning committee on June 10 despite a plea from the owners of Woods Lane firm Howells Patent Glazing who fear the new homes will not only force them out of the area but out of business altogether. 

Tracey Jackson, speaking on behalf of 79-year-old founder Walter Howells, urged councillors to re-think the move and consider its wider impact.

“There is nowhere for us to go, there is no premises available,” she told the planning meeting last week.

“The council have looked as well, there is literally nowhere that can house what we need to do. 

“We have looked at ourselves, many times. It will put us out of business.”

The firm, which employs 19 people, opened in the town in 1997 and moved to Woods Lane, next to Cradley Heath railway station, in 2008.

Ms Jackson told the planning meeting the firm had been searching for an alternative for a “considerable time” and the spacious site it needed was “extremely limited” in the area.

“Not only is it difficult but it’s financially impossible,” she said – saying there was a “significant” difference between the compensation offered and the cost of moving and opening in a new building.

“If this business is forced to leave the current site, there is no guarantee that our skilled workforce will be able to relocate with us,” Ms Jackson added.

“We want to remain in Sandwell, we want to continue employing local people, we want to continue contributing to the borough’s economy like we have done since 1997.

“Most of our workforce have been with us for more than 10 years, they are not temporary jobs, they are skilled long-term manufacturing jobs carried out by expert employees whose knowledge and experience has been built up over many years.

“We recognise there is a need for housing, however housing should not come at the expense of existing businesses where the consequences have not been fully considered.

“Our business is not something that can just be moved to another site. We manufacture specialist glazing products that require very specific circumstances to operate.”

Cllr Connor Horton begrudgingly called to approve the work saying he had “tremendous sympathy” with the Cradley Heath business owner but feared the decision would be overturned by a planning inspector on appeal if rejected.

“I don’t think there are enough material planning grounds to refuse the application and we really do sympathise, we really do … but I’m very confident the planning inspector will overturn our refusal,” he said.

Cllr Luke Cotterill added: “Something doesn’t quite sit right with me. Being in the Black Country and being asked to shut down a manufacturing business doesn’t seem quite right for me.”

The application by Mark Grady from Liberty Developments said half of the buildings on the site were empty with many in a state of disrepair.

Sandwell Council’s planning officers had recommended the application was approved.

The council said: “The design of the development is of good quality and proposes a notable number of affordable homes which, on balance, offsets the loss of non-designated heritage assets and the partial loss of land designated as a site of local importance for nature conservation.”