A vandalism plagued former school in Willenhall is set to be demolished – but an iconic clock tower will be saved.
Little London JMI School in Willenhall has had the bell from its iconic clock tower stolen, and has been subject to spates of vandal attacks, fly-tipping and youths hanging around the derelict site since it shut its doors in 2007.
But development officers on Walsall Council have recommended the planning committee approve a bid to transform the school into offices and 20 houses when they meet on Thursday.
And it’s confirmed the clock tower will be retained to form part of the new development.
Councillor Sean Coughlan, who represents Willenhall South, said: “It has been a real tough battle and a constant problem for us for years.
“We have all put complaints into the council about the state of the site and the fact that it has been left unsecured at times.
“But this is a great resolution to that site. We look forward to a really positive development now.”
In 2007 pupils from Little London along with those from Lakeside Primary and Clothier Street were moved to a new £4.5 million Fibberlsey Park School in nearby Noose Lane.
The site at Stafford Road had been earmarked to be a centre for Willenhall Heritage Trust but that plan failed to materialise.
However local councillors and campaigners have fought for the grade II listed clock tower to be saved, which applicants BE Wedge Holdings have confirmed they will retain as part of the new development.
Councillor Coughlan added: “It just wasn’t feasible for the heritage trust to take the site on.
“The council wanted to sell it off for the revenue and the heritage trust were never in a position to buy the site. It wasn’t meant to be.
“But we insisted many years ago that whatever happened the clock tower should stay and I am pleased the new owners want to retain that.
“I am happy it is going to be offices and especially houses which is important for the town.” It is proposed the site is developed in two phases, the first would demolish some of the school while other buildings, including the clock tower, would be kept to house offices to accommodate the firm’s international and UK headquarters.
The rest of the school would be bulldozed in the second phase to make way for 20 homes.
A council report prepared for Thursday’s meeting states: “Officers have discussed the significance of the proposals with the applicant and their agent and discussed the process for determining the application.
“In response to this advice relevant supporting information and additional revised plans have been submitted. In light of the submitted details officers are able to support the scheme.”
BE Wedge has stated materials from parts of the school which are demolished would be reused in phase one of the scheme for offices.
The homes will be built on the part of the site, which faces Field Street. The majority of the new properties will be three bedroom semi detached houses linked via their garages.
In the main, the scheme has been warmly welcomed and has faced little opposition from authorities who have been consulted on the plans.
Only two residents have lodged official letters of concern to the council. One person enquired as to how the boundary between neighbouring homes and the development would be managed while another resident raised issues about potential traffic noise.
In further support for the scheme the planning report states: “The phase one office proposal allows for retention of a large proportion of the locally listed building including the clock tower, gables and windows as referred to in the listing description.
“Although the part demolition of the building will cause substantial harm to the locally listed building the proposal does allow for the retention of the remainder of the building and sympathetic extensions and alterations, which is supported.”
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