Shop owner to find out if he has permission to tear down wall – 16 months after it was demolished

A shop owner will finally be told by the council if he has permission to demolish a wall – 16 months after tearing it down. Claimant Simon Bagri of UK Wide Real Estate sought “retrospective” permission from Sandwell Council for work already carried out at the former Hateley Heath Post Office and McColl’s store in Jowetts Lane in West Bromwich.

The work, which was already carried out last March, includes the replacement of a boundary wall on Lynton Avenue, the demolition of an external rear wall, a single-storey rear extension and a higher roof. Sandwell Council is meeting on July 24 to discuss the application again. The council’s planning officers have recommended that permission be granted.

A decision was twice delayed by councillors, with a site visit finally taking place six months ago. A decision was further delayed when it was discovered during the site visit in January that the drawings in the application did not match what had been built so far. This led to further delay while the plans were redrawn.

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The demolition work began 16 months ago and came to the attention of enforcement officers from Sandwell Council following a complaint. The council stepped in and told Mr Bagri that the scale of the work first required planning permission, which halted work, leaving the change half-finished.

Before work began, the patchwork building, which was a former shop and post office and two-bed flat, was made up of various materials including metal gates, corrugated iron, bricks, breeze blocks and barbed wire, as well as extensions of different heights with contrasting roofs.

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The border wall was also described as “unsecure” in the application. Four objections were raised against the work – with parking and traffic concerns, noise and fear of loss of privacy listed as the main reasons for opposition. Two other objections were raised against the revised plans.

Council planners said the highways department had no concerns about parking or road safety and would not cause any problems for existing access to the site. The council said it had “noted” residents’ concerns that parking was congested in Lynton Avenue.

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“However, double yellow lines are evident at the junction at Jowetts Lane which should prohibit parking where it is considered unsafe,” the council added. “This can be monitored by parking attendants if abused.

“Furthermore, given the moderate floor area size of the original retail premises, it would not justify additional off-road parking to serve it and no objections to this have been raised by the motorway service.” The council said lifting the existing roof and creating a single roof would remove the “patchy” roof and improve the street’s appearance.

UK Wide Real Estate is run by Harjinder Singh Bagri, the 12-year former licensee of Wednesbury’s Seven Bar, which was closed in 2022 by Sandwell Council due to its violent history, which included a stabbing, attempted murder and more violent attacks. West Midlands Police said they responded to 28 incidents in the year before the bar was closed and its license revoked 18 months ago. Staff also continued to serve drinks as a man lay collapsed at the bar after being stabbed.