Sandwell council could be overturned over ‘cramped’ care home as inspectors review plans

The planning application to convert apartments at 63 to 65 Rood End Road, Oldbury, opposite Rood End Primary School, into a 17-bed care home has been rejected by Sandwell Council’s planning committee due to concerns about the size of the property’s rooms and garden.

However, although councilors rejected the work due to concerns about the size of the care home and fears it would worsen traffic problems, the application will now be reviewed by a government inspector.

The applicant, Ranjit Singh, appealed the Sandwell Counci’s decision to the government’s planning inspectorate, which has the power to overturn Black County’s local authority.

At the planning meeting in October, councilors said they were concerned that elderly and vulnerable residents would be forced to sit outside in a small “car park” which would not be big enough to accommodate all residents.

The committee also raised concerns that the rooms at the care home would be too small and had reservations about worsening existing traffic and parking problems on Rood End Road and surrounding streets.

The application attracted 19 objections from neighbors, many of whom were concerned about the lack of parking spaces on the busy and already congested road.

At the meeting, Emily Horton, speaking on behalf of opponents, said there had already been several accidents at Rood End Road and parking spaces were scarce in the face of competition from residents and the school primary.

“Our problem is that parking the way it is now, and it’s on a main road, it’s on a bus route, something is going to happen. I’m afraid to think (of what would happen) if I had kids and let them go out.

Manny Singh, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the number of people in the building would be similar to, if not lower than, its current apartment capacity.

Despite the level of opposition, Sandwell Council planning officers have recommended that the application be approved. Council roads officers raised no objections and said the proposed 11 parking spaces were sufficient.

A decision should have been made by councilors in September, but it was delayed to allow the planning committee to visit Rood End Road.

Opponents criticized the plan, saying it did not provide enough parking spaces, which would lead to more congestion on “already suffering” Rood End Road, leading councilors to vote to postpone the decision on the plans.

A statement included with the application said: “The proposed development responds to the aging population of the area and the applicant seeks permission to provide “high standard care” accommodation for able-bodied and frail adults.

“Candidates have direct experience in the healthcare sector and have worked in nursing and care.

“The applicant, Ms Kaur, is an experienced nurse and her husband has over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry and he himself built the existing premises from new. In line with sustainability and ‘zero carbon’ objectives, the applicant will only change the use of the existing building and no new construction will be introduced as part of the proposed project.

The apartments were built in 2008 by the current applicant on the site of a former garage, filling the gap between the row of terraced houses on Rood End Road. Previous plans for a three-storey apartment block were criticized by Sandwell council and a compromise was eventually reached to fill the road gap with a smaller building.