By Christian Barnett

Copyright expressandstar

Sandwell Council rejected a move to convert the unit in Willow Court off Crystal Drive, Smethwick, into the Capri Bar and Lounge saying it would be “incompatible” with its neighbours.

The applicant Carlos Douglas appealed to government planning inspectors in a bid to get the decision overturned but was refused.

Sandwell Council said the application for the venue, which would be open until 3am six days a week, had “failed to demonstrate [it] would support, maintain or enhance the existing businesses as well as the employment function of the area”.

The proposed opening hours were 11am to 3am between Monday and Saturday and 10.30am to midnight every Sunday, with a maximum capacity of 50 people.

However, the inspector said it was unclear what the maximum capacity of the venue would be with separate statements referring to 50 and as many as 150 people.

The government planning inspector Hannah Guest said: “Taking the ‘worst-case scenario’ of 150 people attending a single event, despite the accessibility of the appeal site, I am of the view that the eight dedicated parking spaces and amount of on-street parking within a convenient walking distance of the appeal property would be unlikely to accommodate the attendees without resulting in a detrimental impact on the parking of the adjacent businesses.

“It is likely that later in the evening and in the early hours of the morning the level of background noise would significantly reduce, as there would be fewer vehicle movements and the neighbouring industrial units would be closed.

“Given this, there would be a real risk that evening events and those finishing in the early hours of the morning, especially those accommodating close to 150 people, would result in levels of noise that could harm the living conditions of nearby residents.”

A statement from the applicant submitted during the appeal said the unit would be a “pre-bookable, business orientated, multi-use space for events such as corporate training and conferencing, religious gatherings, small-scale and community celebrations, civic functions, training and educational programmes and family gatherings.”

Ahead of its rejection last year, West Midlands Police said the application lacked basic information – particularly on security measures – and called for it to be turned down.

The force added that parking was already an issue on the industrial estate and the eight spaces provided was not enough to avoid “clashes” with neighbours.

The industrial estate near the M5 in Smethwick is home to a tableware supplier, car parts manufacturer, security system installer, a glass and mirror shop, mechanics and a cabinet-maker.

The industrial estate was also “very secluded without natural surveillance” and in a high-crime and high-demand location that would only worsen for police and the community, the force’s ‘design crime out’ officer added, describing it as an “anti-social behaviour magnet”.

Sandwell Council’s public health officer also raised concerns, saying the unit was unsuitable as a venue because it was poorly insulated from noise.

An application for a premises licence was made by Mr Douglas late last year which asked for permission to sell alcohol and play music from the proposed club until 4am every day.

The council said Mr Douglas was “uncertain” over how the venue would operate, telling its licensing department that it would be used for his friends to relax in but also hired out for parties.