Former Dudley office block could become HMO

Plans to convert former council buildings into a 34-bed shared accommodation block have been recommended for approval following a personal plea from developers, despite concerns from police and three councillors over the suitability of the scheme.

Regent House in Dudley’s King Street has stood vacant for around five years, after Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s Corporate Resources team took the decision to quit the building for alternative accommodation in Priory Street.

Under plans put forward by Birmingham real estate firm Lateran, the “utilitarian” former office block would be converted to residential accommodation, described by the applicant as a “viable, active residential use” which would support the town’s conservation area plan.

However, following submission of the plans in September, three councillors signed a letter objecting to the scheme on the grounds of “overdevelopment”, while a response from West Midlands Police indicated concerns over a lack of security measures and the building’s potential to be a “high police demand location”.

In an effort to address police concerns, a personal appeal from the director of Lateran, their name redacted on Dudley’s planning portal, outlined a range of measures they planned to undertake in order to enforce standards of behaviour at the property.

Those measures include high-definition CCTV, a recorded key-fob access system, and a requirement for residents to agree to sharing their details with West Midlands Police when they sign their lease, so that “any issues that might arise can be addressed promptly”.

In a report set to go before Dudley’s planning committee next week, planning officers said the measures had adequately assessed police concerns – and recommended the scheme for approval.

They said the conversion of the building for residential purposes would contribute to much-needed local housing provision in the area, also brushing aside concerns over a lack of parking at the building, saying the 16 spaces proposed would be sufficient for the building’s capacity of up to 63 residents due to its “highly sustainable” town centre location.

The application will be decided by Dudley Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, 18 February.

Plans and documents relating to the application can be found on Dudley Council’s planning portal under reference: P25/1176