Midlands Planners Reject Cash and Carry Opened Without Permission in Ambulance Station
Sandwell Council has firmly rejected plans to continue using a former ambulance station as a cash and carry wholesalers, after the business began operating without the necessary planning permission two years ago. The council deemed the warehouse use "inappropriate" for the area, highlighting significant safety and community impact issues.
Unauthorized Operation and Retrospective Application
Khaled Mohammed started using the former ambulance station on Hargate Lane in West Bromwich in 2024, adjacent to the town's fire station. After initially failing to obtain planning permission, he submitted a retrospective application to Sandwell Council to formalize the arrangement. However, planning officers refused this application, stating that the warehouse use was unsuitable for the locality.
The council emphasized that the operation was having a "detrimental impact" on Hargate Primary School and nearby residential properties. Complaints from residents and CCTV footage provided to the council showed lorries reversing along narrow Hargate Lane, which is clearly sign-posted as 'unsuitable for HGVs.'
Safety Concerns and Lack of Detail
Sandwell Council's highways officers also objected to the application, citing "safety issues" caused by the warehouse. They noted that Mr. Mohammed's application lacked sufficient detail, raising concerns about the site's operation.
"Given the lack of information provided and the footage and complaints submitted, we have concerns regarding the operation of the site," the council stated. "HGVs should not be reversing down the adopted highway, and it is sign posted that the roads are unsuitable for HGVs. It is clear that the current operation is causing a safety issue along with affecting resident amenity and causing damage."
Community Objections and Congestion Issues
A handful of objections were lodged against the plan, including one from a neighbor who described the area as already congested with cars. The objection highlighted that numerous shipping containers on the site made the area "look like a port."
"Already we have received various reports of articulated lorries using the street, despite there being a weight limit on the road, and vans associated with the premises parking on the double yellow lines outside," the objection read. "This is not an area which can cope with a storage and distribution facility. Moreover, we understand deliveries are currently taking place to and from the site at all times of the day and night. This is a residential area and is not suited to someone running a business on this size or scale."
Background and Previous Plans
E A Plus Ltd has been registered at the former ambulance station on Hargate Lane since March 2024. The cash and carry wholesaler moved to West Bromwich after being previously registered under two addresses in Peterborough. According to the planning application, the building was converted in January 2024.
In a related context, Sandwell Council had bid for the former ambulance station in 2012 to allow Hargate Primary School to expand and accommodate rising pupil numbers. The station was put on the market for £235,000 by the region's ambulance trust as part of cost-saving measures at that time.
This decision underscores the council's commitment to enforcing planning regulations and protecting residential amenities from inappropriate commercial developments.
