Controversial plan to demolish high-street garages and flats goes under government appeal

Sandwell Council blocked a move by Manminder Singh to demolish a side garage in Brookfields Road, Oldbury and build three flats, saying the new building was too big.

But the decision has been appealed to government planning inspectors, who can overrule Sandwell Council. They will now be tasked with deciding whether the decision was unreasonable.

The move, which included a new two-storey building containing one one-bed flat and two two-bed flats, was rejected by the council in March, with the authority’s planning officers calling the move a “classic overdeveloped proposal”. Planners said the application was “at odds” with what was already there and showed “no consideration” other than gain.

“They have shoehorned a building onto a site it was not designed for,” council planners said in a report outlining the rejection.