Walsall Council has rejected a second application to build homes on the site of the Travellers Rest pub in Bilston, which was destroyed by fire in 2021. The proposal, submitted by applicant Sukhjinder Khera, sought to build nine homes on the vacant plot on Great Bridge Road.
Proposal details and refusal reasons
The application outlined plans for seven four-bedroom and two three-bedroom homes on the now-vacant site. The pub was destroyed by fire in 2021 in a suspected arson attack, and was later demolished for safety reasons. Hoardings have since been erected around the site.
Walsall Council acknowledged that the redevelopment of a brownfield site for housing would bring significant benefits. However, the authority refused the application because it required 25 parking spaces for the homes, while only 13 were proposed. The council also cited insufficient information about Biodiversity Net Gain as grounds for refusal.
Previous application also refused
This is the second application put forward by Mr Khera for the site. The previous one, for ten homes, was refused on grounds including the loss of the former public house, highway safety, drainage, land stability, and the absence of a legal agreement to secure an open space contribution.
The refusal means the site on Great Bridge Road remains vacant, with hoardings in place, and no approved development plans at this time.
