Housing plan for historic football stadium

A historic football stadium in Gornal Wood could be bulldozed to make way for new homes if Dudley planners approve.

Gornal Athletic’s ground on Garden Walk will become vacant when the club relocates to a new home in Burton Road, Dudley, at the end of the current season.

Dudley Council has been asked to grant permission for a 37-home development on the site which would be accessed from Ranscombe Drive.

The proposal includes six different types of dwellings ranging from semi-detached houses for four people up to large detached homes for up to seven residents with four properties classified as ‘affordable’ homes.

A statement from Creative Planning in support of the application said: “The site is proposed to be redeveloped in its entirety, with all existing structures and floodlights removed. 

“The proposal is sustainably located within close proximity to existing services and facilities. The proposal also adheres to all local and national planning policies. 

“The development will make best use of the site, providing much-needed housing and affordable housing.

“The sale and development of the application site is directly funding the club’s move to a better stadium with better facilities and the football club is fully in support of redeveloping the site, which will provide the funding to move.”

Among consultees delivering their verdict on the plans is highway development project engineer David Jacobs who raises a number of issues around the layout of roads and pathways including the vehicular access which he describes as ‘pedestrian unfriendly’.

The Black Country Integrated Care Board said it has no initial objections to the plan but would seek a contribution of £37,000 to fund local healthcare provision for the extra residents.

The site also sits in a former coal mining area with four shafts identified on the site and a further 35 shafts within 100 metres of the proposed development area.

Creative Planning say survey work will be required to identify shafts and plans to fill them will need to be produced prior to constriction.

Gornal Athletic can trace its history to the post-war era of the 1940’s although it may have been formed from clubs playing in the region from as far back as the 1890s.