Council order granted to buy land for housing

Permission was granted earlier this year to demolish industrial buildings in the area to make way for housing

Regeneration work in Willenhall has moved a step closer after the council was granted permission for a compulsory purchase order (CPO) to procure a patch of land.

it means the authority will be able to buy a 21,000 square metres area of land around Moat Street and Villiers Street without the permission of the owner.

The demolition of industrial buildings around Villiers Street, Moat Street, New Hall Street, Stafford Street and Temple Bar was givren the go-ahead earlier this year.

It will see 107 new homes built as part of the Willenhall Masterplan.

CPOs are issued to authorities in order to deliver regeneration projects which are in the public interest. The powers were granted to Walsall Council following a public inquiry.

Planning inspector Claire Searson, appointed to lead the inquiry, said there has been a longstanding desire from the authority to regenerate the specific area of Willenhall, which has been an "enduring concern" for the local community.

Steel fabrication firm Winfield Industrial Services, located in an area earmarked for development, had objected to the CPO, arguing that it could be excluded from the plans and coexist with the proposed residential development.

However, Ms Searsoon rejected that, saying the site contains large areas of derelict buildings, including the former Century Works and Moat Street Garage.

She said it would not be possible to exclude the Winfield site without "prejudicing the whole development".

An inquiry heard the area had been an "enduring concern" for the local community

Property developer Phillips Landholdings Ltd, which owns several parcels of land in the area, also objected to the order.

Mr Phillips and his family bought the plots to redevelop the land themselves, believing 275 homes could be delivered on the company-owned sites - 168 more than the council's masterplan hopes to achieve.

The inspector said she had "significant reservations" about the proposals due to "very basic details" and "inaccuracies" in the plans put forward.

Ms Searson awarded Walsall Council the CPO, stating that there would be no realistic prospect of the regeneration scheme being delivered without it.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, said: "I am delighted with the decision to grant compulsory purchase powers for Willenhall.

"We will now follow the statutory notification procedure to notify all parties, but this is a positive step forward in our transformative plans for Willenhall."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.