Approval for new factory buildings

We are delighted to have represented our client, Bamfords Trust PLC, at the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council’s Planning Committee to obtain planning permission for a redevelopment of a vacant employment site in Cradley Heath. The approved scheme proposes 2 B1/B2/B8 buildings with a floor area totalling 25,000 sqft.

The proposed occupier of the units, Aspen Concepts Ltd, is a long established business wishing to expand in the Borough. They are a joinery and shop fitting firm who have worked for John Lewis, the NHS and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute amongst others. They currently have a regional operation based at The Granada Trading Estate, Oldbury. The company are keen to remain in the Borough to maintain and reinforce their workforce of skilled joiners and shopfitters. The scheme at Cradley is key to that. The new units will employ 60 staff. The company are engaged with local colleges and Wolverhampton University, taking on apprentices every year, as well as taking on several commercial trainees and offering work placements for University students part way through their degree courses.

The Planning Officer agreed that the scheme, designed by Webb Gray Ltd, Chartered Architects, would improve and enhance the appearance of the site and the Business Park by not only proposing attractively designed buildings on this currently underused, empty site but also by providing sizable new landscaping areas. It also proposes a new landscape buffer alongside the existing access to the Corngreaves Trading Estate, improving the entrance to that estate at the same time as providing a screening buffer to houses accessed off Overend Road.

Glenda Parkes, Director at Tyler Parkes, accompanied the Planning Committee on their site visit and then spoke in support of the application at the Committee’s meeting on 17th January 2018, where the application was approved.