A BLOCK of flats could be built on the site of a former church in Old Hill.

A total of 12 two-bed flats would be built on land owned by Sandwell Council off Halesowen Road in Old Hill, according to plans submitted by Thorne Architects. 

The now-empty plot was home to a Wesleyan Methodist church before it became derelict and was demolished in the early 2010s.

Plans were revealed at the end of 2020 to build new shops and prayer space alongside several flats in a four-storey building on the council-owned land.

The council said the plan was ‘too big’ – calling the planned building “imposing.”

The council said it was also concerned about a “significant risk of conflict” between residents, shopkeepers and customers because of a shortfall in parking spaces.

The council’s highways department said the original plan from 2020 – with shops and flats – would need between 50 and 60 parking spaces and the proposed spaces would need to be wider. 

A storey would also have to be removed for the council to consider it acceptable.

The plans have now been redrawn removing one storey to make a three-storey building with the planned shops and prayer space scrapped.

Advice from Sandwell Council’s highways department said each flat would need at least one space and one space for visitors would be required per four plats – resulting in a total of 16 parking spaces now being provided in the application.

A statement included with the application explains the decision to reduce the size of the building.

“At the time the applicant’s desire was for a mixed development of retail on the ground floor, apartments and a prayer space with associated parking and amenity,” the application said.

“This was considered overdevelopment and there was a significant risk of conflict between the use of the parking by residents, shopkeepers and customers.

“The development was four storeys and imposing. The application’s proposals now seek to address this by being purely residential and three storeys.”