Planning Approval Granted for Residential Development on Former Walsall Tennis Club Site
A significant planning decision has been made in Walsall, granting permission for the construction of new homes on a disused sports facility. Walsall Housing Group (WHG) has received the green light to build fourteen family residences on the site of the former Walsall Tennis Club, located on Birmingham Road.
Details of the Approved Development Scheme
The housing association originally submitted the detailed application back in 2024, outlining proposals for the transformation of the old tennis club grounds. This development represents the second phase of a broader residential scheme planned for the local area. The approved plans specify that the new homes will comprise a mix of property sizes: four three-bedroom houses, five four-bedroom houses, and five five-bedroom houses.
This phase follows WHG's earlier success in securing permission for twenty-nine homes on neighbouring former allotment land in October 2023. The housing group described the current site at the rear of the Broadway Bar & Grill Hotel as "abandoned and overgrown with grass and weeds," presenting an opportunity for regeneration.
Community Response and Planning History
The application process was not without opposition. Local residents submitted fourteen formal objections, raising concerns about several potential issues. These included highway safety implications, increased traffic volumes, access for emergency services, and worries about noise and pollution from the new development.
The planning history reveals that the first phase of this housing scheme also faced significant local resistance in 2023. Residents particularly objected to the proposed access via a cul-de-sac. When the local authority failed to determine the application within statutory timeframes, WHG appealed to the Planning Inspectorate on grounds of non-determination. The independent inspector ultimately ruled in favour of the housing association, allowing the development to proceed.
Site Background and Access Arrangements
Walsall Tennis Club has a long history in the area, having been established in 1912. The club occupied the Birmingham Road site for over a century before WHG took control of the property in 2018. Since 2022, the tennis club has operated from alternative facilities at Queen Mary's Grammar School.
According to the approved plans, access arrangements have been carefully considered. Forty-one of the total forty-three homes across both development phases will be accessed via Cricket Close. The remaining two properties, which form part of the first phase, will utilise a private driveway with access from Broadway.
This decision represents another step in the ongoing transformation of this part of Walsall, converting previously underutilised land into much-needed residential accommodation while navigating the complex balance between development needs and community concerns.
