Nursery given green light to expand

A village nursery will be allowed to expand after receiving the green light from councillors.

Limes Court Nursery School in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, had its plans to expand into an empty unit in the village's Limes Court approved by City of Wolverhampton Council's planning committee.

The nursery said the new unit would be transformed into a second preschool for its eldest children to focus on preparing for primary school.

The expansion would create another 16 early years places at the nursery, which said it currently had a waiting list of more than 30 families.

A total of 13 objections were made against the expansion, claiming it would lead to more noise and congestion.

The objections also bemoaned the loss of retail space.

At the planning meeting on 25 March, Tory councillor Sally Gardner, who represents the Tettenhall Wightwick ward, said residents would like to have seen the unit marketed for at least the required six months before a decision was made.

Gardner said she thought it would be "detrimental" not having a retail unit and said it was the variety available in Tettenhall that made it attractive to visitors.

"I don't want places to be empty but I think it would be much better if it was kept as retail," she said at the meeting.

Labour councillor Alan Butt, who represents the Oxley ward, disagreed saying Limes Court was a "well known and popular place" and the unit would have been snapped up by a retailer at the first opportunity if they were that desperate for it.

The council's planners, who had recommended the application and expansion should be approved, said in a report to councillors: "The proposal does not entirely comply with [some] policy, but the benefits of the proposal can be given significant weight.

"On balance, the proposal would not undermine the vibrancy of the centre, and the loss of the retail unit is acceptable in this case."

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

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.