Plans have been formally submitted to construct eight new affordable flats on the site of a former day centre and library in the Black Country town of Rowley Regis.
Addressing a Critical Housing Shortage
The joint application from SWG Construction and Sandwell Council proposes a mix of one, three, and four-bedroom apartments on Harvest Road. Housing officers at the council have highlighted a "critical shortage" of larger three and four-bed flats for families in need of more space, a need directly reflected in the proposed development.
Council waiting list figures reveal the stark demand. While the wait for a one-bed flat for those with a non-emergency need is close to a year, it soars to more than four years for a three-bed property and nearly nine years for a four-bed home.
Site's History and Previous Plans
The site was once home to the Harvest Road day centre, which was converted into a special library service in 2012, delivering books to the elderly, disabled, and care homes. The service later moved out, leaving the building vacant.
Sandwell Council granted permission to demolish the former library in 2022. In the previous year, the council had approved an NHS application to build eight houses on the land, though the new flats plan represents a different scheme for the now-cleared site.
Location and Future Prospects
The proposed development would be situated opposite the flagship Harvest View nursing home, an 80-bed facility that opened in 2022. The council and SWG Construction are also reportedly considering a similar housing project near the new Horseley Road metro stop in Tipton.
This application marks the latest effort to utilise disused council-owned land to help tackle the acute need for affordable, family-sized accommodation in the Sandwell borough.
