Flats to replace specialist children's unit

A residential unit that provided specialist accommodation for children will be demolished to make way for new housing.

Eight "affordable" maisonettes are to be built on Merridale Street West in Wolverhampton after the city council approved its own planning application.

Built in 2011, the two-storey residential home, next to the Particular Ukrainian Catholic Church, provided specialist accommodation for four children, but is no longer in operation.

Outlining the decision, the council's planners said the development would create "good quality homes" and would be a significant investment.

A previous plan to convert the building into four units would come with "significant" building costs to meet regulations compared to demolishing and building eight new units.

"Following further assessments and discussions, it became clear that there was an obvious benefit to the demolition of the existing building and the construction of purpose built maisonette units," a statement included with the application said.

Plans to demolish a row of garages on the opposite side of nearby Zoar Street to make way for 12 new flats were approved in September.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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