A long-vacant social club in Smethwick has been given a new lease of life after receiving the green light to be transformed into a children's nursery.
From Social Club to Childcare Hub
Family Adventures Group has successfully obtained planning permission from Sandwell Council to convert the empty former British Legion club on Londonderry Lane into a nursery that will accommodate up to 80 children. The approval comes six years after the council rejected a different proposal for the same site.
The building, which originally closed as a British Legion club in 2014, has had a troubled recent history. It was briefly converted into another venue called The Local in 2021, but that too had closed by January 2024. The site has also been used temporarily by care provider Delivering Care Direct and for overflow parking by the neighbouring Ash Lodge care home.
Learning from Past Rejections
Back in 2019, Sandwell Council refused plans to convert the club into a school for 50 pupils aged 14-18. Council planners at the time raised significant concerns about parking and congestion problems in the area, stating the location wasn't "appropriate and sustainable" for a school and that the proposal didn't include sufficient parking or drop-off areas.
The newly approved scheme appears to have addressed these previous concerns by incorporating 19 parking spaces within the development plans. According to the application documents, the former club's bar and function room will be converted into separate baby and toddler areas, along with pre-school spaces. Part of the old car park will be transformed into a new garden area for outdoor play.
A Welcome Development for the Community
A statement accompanying the successful application highlighted the benefits for the local community. "The nursery would accommodate up to 80 children and up to 20 members of staff," it confirmed.
The statement continued: "The site is currently vacant and the proposals represent an efficient use of previously developed land. The scheme will provide much needed new, high-quality childcare facilities to serve the neighbouring residential areas and the wider community, whilst also providing new employment opportunities in the local area."
Planners also noted that the development should improve the site compared to its former uses and has been designed to maintain the amenity of neighbouring residential properties.
