Planners change their minds to agree controversial development

The long wait for a decision on a retail development in Halesowen finally ended after councillors gave it a green light.

Members of Dudley Council’s planning committee approved new building on the site  of a vacant former motorcycle showroom at the top of Mucklow Hill.

At a meeting on September 2, councillors were told the proposal was the third time plans for the site had been submitted.

A decision on the current application for a convenience store, a tanning salon and a veterinary surgery had been delayed after concerns over traffic levels and possible congestion at a busy traffic island where Mucklow Hill joins Long Lane.

A report from highways officers containing collision data from the location between 2021 and 2025 revealed there had only been one serious incident during that period.

The report said: “Having regard to the updated data, the evidence does not identify any existing significant highway safety issues or pattern of collisions that could reasonably be attributed to the proposed development site or which would indicate that the development would give rise to an unacceptable impact on highway safety.”

Cllr Andrew Barnfield said: “Objections were brought up because of the exit on Long Lane to the right, I can see the reasons for that, you come out and want to turn right you are going to block the traffic for the island.

“Can we make sure at the exit on Long Lane you can only go left?”

A council highways officer told the committee: “We have considered all kinds of things with the applicant, this is an updated scheme part of that was because there were issues around access and internal layout.”

Councillors were also told planning officers have explored a range of options including reducing the number of units on the site.

They were also told there was the possibility of a successful appeal against refusal unless evidence demonstrated a significant risk to the safety of road users.

Despite warnings, committee members initially voted to reject the scheme but then reversed their decision after council officers suggested adding a condition that developers design an exit onto Long Lane that only allowed a left turn.