An MP is in talks to have the listed status of a ‘crumbling’ hall scrapped because it is being used to justify a green belt development, she claims.

Builders who want to create a luxury housing estate in the grounds of Great Barr Hall insist they would need the cash from the development to pay for the former mansion’s restoration.

They say the 18th century building is so dilapidated after three decades of neglect that it would take millions of pounds to turn it into a hotel and conference centre.

A planning application has been on hold for more than a year while Walsall Council examines the bid.

Now Walsall South MP Valerie Vaz has succeeded in getting Historic England to re-assess its Grade II listing for the hall.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. This has become a key issue in the developer’s attempt to get the planning application through. But if there is no longer any historic value in the building – it’s crumbling, absolutely falling apart – their case collapses.”

Ms Vaz has written to Historic England asking them to remove the listing and allow the building to be legally redeveloped or demolished. She told them that the features that were present when the hall was last inspected in 2007 were no longer there.

“I am pleased that Historic England has now listened to my request and agreed to reassess the listed status of the hall. It is a small victory but a significant one.”

Great Barr Hall was built by the influential Scott family but has been empty since 1978 and is now propped up with scaffolding.

A planning application to build a 57-home gated development beside the rundown mansion was submitted last year. The developers say they need the income from the housing to cover the cost of bringing the hall back into use.

Campaigners fear the plans by Lapworth Architects will affect the countryside and create traffic problems. English Heritage and Walsall Council asked the owners for more details about the community benefits of the scheme.

Ms Vaz said: “The listing of the hall is still being exploited by developers who want to use the status of the hall to justify this gated development on the adjacent green belt land at Great Barr Park.

“Without the listed hall this application would not be allowed as no case could be made for development.

“There is plenty of other space for housing in Walsall. In any case, we should be looking at affordable, not luxury, homes for the area.”

She added that she hopes this will end the prospect of the development going ahead.

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