A plan to convert a home into a private tuition centre will be scrutinised by councillors over parking concerns.

BMH Tutors has asked permission from Sandwell Council to turn the Victorian home in St Mary’s Road, Bearwood, into a ‘private tuition academy’ for up to 20 children studying for their GCSEs and A-Levels.

But a decision will now be made by the council’s planning committee rather than leaving it to officers to decide at the appeal of ward councillor Bob Piper who had concerns over the proposed level of parking.

“6 St Mary’s Road is a stretch of road off Bearwood’s main shopping centre which already has very heavy demand during the daytime for parking for the shops, as well as having a children’s day nursery and a dental surgery on the same piece of road,” he said in a request to Sandwell Council’s planning department. “This is causing constant problems with traffic and illegal parking. 

“Assuming the pupils of this school are also likely to require at least short-term ‘drop-off’ parking this location, with no parking provided will be unsuitable. 

“Also, it is immediately next door to a residential home and a place of worship application has previously been refused.”

Cllr Piper, who also sits on the planning committee, made the request using powers known as ‘calling in’ which allows councillors to ensure a decision is made at a public meeting by the committee rather than through the council’s planning officers.

The majority of the council’s planning decisions are made by council staff through ‘delegated powers.’

The home, opposite St Mary’s Church just off the busy Bearwood High Street, would sit next to Bearwood Dental Care and the Play House Day Nursery.

BMH Tutors already runs an academy in upmarket Handsworth Wood.

The opening hours would be 2pm to 8pm on weekdays, 9am to 6pm every Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sundays and during half-term and other school holidays.

A statement included with the application said the proposed conversion would not be “noise-generating” and would be comparable to a “small school library.”

“There is no need for parking for our students so there will be no occupying of parking spaces,” the statement said. “Given the good transport links (bus stop opposite the property) there will be minimal use of cars for transport.

“We will ensure a smooth transition of students by minimising movement and keeping adequate gaps to enable students to leave and arrive individually rather than all together. 

“This combined with two-to-three-hour time intervals, where there will be no coming and going, will greatly reduce any disturbance to neighbours.”

A plan to turn the two-and-a-half-storey Victorian home into a place of worship ‘for up to 20 people’ was turned down by Sandwell Council in 2010. An appeal to the government’s planning inspector in a bid to get the decision overturned was also refused.

The council said the extra noise and ‘comings and goings’ from worshippers meant the plans could not be supported.

The ground floor of the St Mary’s Road ‘home’ had been converted into a large prayer room in the late 2000s, despite claims the building was only used as accomodation, with the council saying it was only made aware the work had taken place after several complaints from neighbours. 

It was claimed the St Mary’s Road home had only been used for ‘silent meditation and prayer’ but neighbours said they had been disturbed by “chanting and bell ringing” by more than the 20 people it was claimed was the maximum capacity. “Loud” chants had also disturbed children at the adjoining nursery during sleep time.