Residents on a quiet cul-de-sac say their lives are being ruined by out-of-control landlords making a mockery of planning laws.
In the last six months, one landlord’s plan for a ‘gym’ in the garden has resulted in a family, minus a proper address, moving into a studio flat.
And now his neighbour is building a two-storey structure having told the local Council that he was after single-storey garages.
‘It is just getting ridiculous,’ said Jay Hussain, an auditor, who is leading the residents fightback against Walsall Council.
‘This has always been a quiet street, now the turning circle at the end of the road is so full of rubble and cars that the bin lorries can’t turn round.’
Brookhouse Road leads down to the busy Birmingham Road, connected by a walkway, and it is from there that the problems have sprung.
The three-storey Victorian terraces which back onto Brookhouse Road have all been converted into Homes of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or self-contained flats.
And, locals say, the landlords just can’t stop cramming people in and are running rings around local planners.
Mr Hussain, who has sent numerous emails to the Council complaining about breaches to agreed plans, said: ‘We are all at our wit’s end.
Residents on a quiet cul-de-sac say their lives are being ruined by out-of-control landlords
In the last six months, one landlord’s plan for a ‘gym’ in the garden has resulted in a family, minus a proper address, moving into a studio flat
The landlord has submitted retrospective plans to turn an outhouse into a seperate dwelling
The three-storey Victorian terraces which back onto Brookhouse Road have all been converted into Homes of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or self-contained flats
‘At best it feels like the Council don’t care, at worst they come across as corrupt.’
The problems started when plans went in for one of the properties to build a gym in the garden of their terraced house, which contains five self-contained flats.
‘We all thought it seemed like a very big gym to have in your back garden,’ said Asadul Haque, 47, a manufacturer who lives with his family next to the development.
‘Now it houses a family. We have had furniture delivered to us for this property. They are acting like it is part of our road.’
Now the landlord, a Mr S Ali, has submitted ‘retrospective’ plans to change an existing outbuilding into a ‘self-contained dwelling’.
Jenny Smith, 81, who moved in with her husband Ken, an accountant, and their two young children, in 1980, said: ‘This road was lovely. It has always been quiet and our children played in the street.
‘You could count on one hand the number of cars you’d see in a day but that has all changed.
‘The two garages which belong to the property on Birmingham Road, have become a development site.
‘We have had bags of rubbish lying around since before Christmas and the workers don’t know where to put their cars.
‘The turning circle should be free for fire engines and bin lorries and the like but not any more.’
Neighbours said they regularly wake up to noise with workmen sometimes at it from 8am on a Sunday (Pictured the new gym)
Neighbours said they regularly wake up to noise with workmen sometimes at it from 8am on a Sunday.
The plans for the replacement garage, workshop and home office, had showed a flat roof but the residents can see stairs have been installed along with a pitched roof.
Mr Hussain added: ‘Walsall Council are creating a situation where you can breach planning rules and get away with it.
‘If one HMO landlord can do it then what will stop the one next door doing the same thing
‘It seems like the Council are just not interested in what residents have to say.
‘I don’t understand how they can have CEOs on £200,000, directors of planning paid £160,000 as they keep putting up the Council Tax every year.
‘Their lack of action is ruining a very content, mixed community.’
The latest letter sent to the Council by the residents accused them of ‘bias’ in favour of the property developers.
It read: ‘We have been reporting our growing concerns about the owner of this property continuing to erect an outbuilding at the end of his garden in a way that is clearly in breach of the plans approved by the Council.
‘He has misled the planning department in his description of the structure, in order to secure planning approval.
‘What was described as single storey garages and workshop to gain approval has now developed into a two-storey building capable of being used as living space to extend their existing HMO.’
The letter went on: ‘This behaviour is creating a risk of setting a precedent in the borough of normalising planning breaches, a risk that is now crystalising on our street.
‘The owner of 253 is carrying on with works in the knowledge that the Council is weak and will not act.
‘The owner of 255 is being given a second chance to now submit new plans for what is now a studio flat (belying his original approved plans).
‘The detrimental effect of out-of-control HMO’s/self contained accommodation is evident already on this road and we the residents will not allow this or other landlords to jeopardise our security, safety and community wellbeing.’
Residents say the constant stream of developments on the street is resulting in their peace being shattered
Walsall Council said they were continuing their investigations into properties on the road
A Walsall Council spokesperson said, ‘We are continuing our investigations into the matters raised by residents and have provided a number of detailed responses on the processes being followed, including a formal complaints process which has now concluded.
‘The national planning system allows the submission of retrospective planning applications, and we have a duty to determine what is before us.
‘We are also maintaining communication with relevant property owner(s) to seek to address any outstanding matters where they fall within the remit of the powers available to us.
‘A cross-service approach has been taken between our planning, highways, housing standards and community protection teams to provide residents with a comprehensive position and update on all matters.
‘Despite council officers reviewing the complaints and visiting the location, we’ve been clear about the issues that we do not currently have sufficient evidence to pursue any action on, namely the traffic and parking issues and anti-social behaviour.
‘Evidence will continue to be collected where appropriate to inform any next steps or necessary future review of the matters raised.’
