Green light to demolish Black Country leisure centre for £24m replacement

The aging leisure centre's pool has been closed for two years after its ceiling collapsed

Plans for a £24 million upgrade of a Black Country leisure centre have been approved by the council.

Haden Hill Leisure Centre in Barrs Road, Cradley Heath, closed in March 2023 ahead of the multi-million-pound renovation which includes a new swimming pool.

The work can now start after a planning application was given the green light by Sandwell Council.

The £24 million upgrade will see the leisure centre’s crumbling swimming pool, which has been closed since March 2023 after the ceiling collapsed, demolished and rebuilt with the rest of the building “extensively upgraded.”

The new albeit smaller facilities will include a community pool, learner pool, sauna and steam rooms, a gym, two dance studios, an indoor cycling studio, sports hall and cafe.

Sandwell Council said the work should be finished by October 2026.

Plans for a new events space and cafe have been approved as part of a council's levelling up plans.

The new food and beverage area will be located on the ground floor of Sandwell Council House in Pleasant Place, Wednesbury.

It comes after the government announced it would be giving Sandwell Council £20m from its ‘levelling up’ fund to help upgrade Haden Hill Leisure Centre in Cradley Heath and create a new events space at the council house.

The application stated that the new food and beverage area will be open to the public and will provide a valuable amenity for those working in or visiting the council house.

It will also create a more welcoming and inviting entrance to the council building.

A report by council planners, who recommended approval, said: “The proposed food and beverage area would be mainly internal to the existing council building and would not be visible from the outside.

“The application site is in a highly sustainable location, being within Wednesbury town centre and readily accessible by a combination of transport modes.

“The development would not have a material impact on the amenity of nearby residents or businesses.”

Plans for a rotting pub to be demolished and replaced with a new shop have been approved.

The Star Pub & Food in High Street, Bloxwich, closed in 2022 and had fallen into a state of disrepair.

It was previously a 1930s pub but had become dilapidated with overgrown ivy and peeling paintwork.

Now plans to demolish the pub and replace it with a new shop unit have been approved by Sandwell Council.

The plans, submitted by property developer GL Real Estate Ltd, also included the creation of four flats above the shop.

Council planners had recommended refusal of the plans due to concerns over the loss of the pub and the impact on the local area.

However, the plans were approved by councillors at the planning committee meeting on Thursday, August 3.

A report by council planners said: “The pub closed in 2023 and despite attempts to sell it as a going concern, no buyer was forthcoming.

“The applicant has stated that they explored a range of options for the pub but ultimately they were not viable.

“The pub is no longer in use and has fallen into a state of disrepair.

“The proposed development would be smaller in massing and scale than the existing pub and would be set back further from the highway.

“The new building would also be of a modern design and would be in keeping with the character of the local area.”

Plans for a former care home to be converted into a facility for ex-prisoners have been approved.

The plans, submitted by Shalom House, will see the former Mount Pleasant Home in Beacon Hill Road, Wolverhampton, transformed into a supported living facility for eight men.

The home closed in 2023 after inspectors deemed it to be "inadequate" and raised concerns over staffing levels and residents’ wellbeing.

A report by council planners, who recommended approval, said: "The proposed development would provide much needed accommodation for ex-prisoners who are transitioning back into the community.

"The plans have been carefully designed to ensure that the new facility would be a positive addition to the local area.

"The conversion of the existing building would also help to reduce the impact on greenbelt land."

Plans for a pub to be converted into a shop and flats have been recommended for approval despite concerns from a council.

The plans, submitted by property developer Mark Lines, will see the Railway Inn in Station Road, Harvington, completely transformed.

The pub closed in 2023 after struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis and the pub chain decided to call time on the venture.

Plans to convert the pub into a shop and flats were submitted to Wyre Forest Council earlier this year.

The plans sparked objections from Harvington Parish Council, which raised concerns about the loss of the pub and the impact on the village community.

Local residents also submitted letters of objection, sharing concerns