A government planning inspector has thrown out Sainsbury's bid to build a convenience store on a pub car park in Streetly, marking the second time the supermarket's plans have been rejected.
The proposal was for a single-storey shop next to Farmer John's pub on Aldridge Road, which would have occupied around half of the pub's car park. Sainsbury's took the application to the planning inspector after Walsall Council failed to issue a decision notice within the statutory period. The council confirmed that had it issued a decision, it would have been a refusal.
Appeal Dismissed on Green Belt Grounds
Planning inspector N Bromley examined the appeal, considering whether the plan would affect the Great Barr Conservation Area, whether it was inappropriate for the green belt, whether it met the sequential test criteria, and whether any 'very special circumstances' would outweigh negative impacts.
Bromley acknowledged several benefits of the proposal, including the creation of 20 new jobs, an energy-efficient building, and biodiversity net gain. The inspector also noted that the public benefits would outweigh any harm to heritage in the surrounding area and that the sequential test requirements had been met.
However, Bromley concluded that the development would be inappropriate in the green belt and that there were no 'very special circumstances' to justify it. This led to the appeal being dismissed.
Second Rejection for Sainsbury's
This is not the first time Sainsbury's has attempted to build a convenience store at Farmer John's. The first application, submitted in July 2023, was refused planning permission by Walsall Council on the grounds of inappropriate development on the green belt, negative impact on the area including the Great Barr Conservation Area, and harm to the open setting.
Sainsbury's launched an appeal against that initial refusal, but the planning inspector also dismissed it. The latest decision confirms the second rejection of the supermarket's plans for the site.
The outcome means that the car park at Farmer John's pub will remain unchanged, and the proposed convenience store will not be built. The decision by the planning inspector is final, and Sainsbury's has no further avenue for appeal on this application.
