A senior NHS doctor has launched a bid to transform a historic building in Walsall into a 17-bedroom House of Multiple Occupation (HMO), intended to provide quality accommodation for healthcare staff.
Plan for Quality NHS Staff Accommodation
Sue Boden, a senior doctor at the Walsall NHS Trust, is behind the application to convert Hatherton House on Hatherton Street. She states that, based on her own experience, there is a distinct lack of high-quality accommodation available for NHS staff in the local area. The proposal aims to directly address this shortage.
History and Details of Hatherton House
The building in question is a mid-19th Century structure situated within the Lichfield Street Conservation area. It has a varied past, having once served as a nursery. From around 2013, it was famously painted with large, colourful polka-dots before being restored to a classic white façade in 2018.
Most recently, it was used as offices for Skills Training UK. The property was listed for sale in early 2024 with guide offers around £495,000.
The conversion plans detail 17 bedrooms in total. Six of these would feature en-suite facilities, while the remaining 11 would share toilet and washing facilities. The ground floor would include a utility room, and a study room is planned for the first floor, with both floors having a shared kitchen. The scheme also provides for 14 on-site car parking spaces.
Heritage and Conservation Considerations
The applicant has emphasised that the external fabric of the historic building will be retained, with only minor and reversible alterations proposed. The agent for the project, En-plan, has argued that the development would have a positive impact.
They state the works would "bring the building back into use and stop the further erosion of the building by lack of maintenance." Furthermore, they assert that the "scheme respects the architectural character and heritage value of the building and the wider conservation area" while providing much-needed housing in a sustainable, town-centre location.
The application is now pending consideration by the local planning authority, offering a potential new lease of life for a prominent local heritage asset while aiming to support key workers in Walsall.
