Sport England against Wednesbury fields housebuilding bid

More than 100 homes could be built on playing fields in Sandwell, despite a shortage of green space for youngsters.

Housing developer Persimmon wants to build 105 homes off Friar Park Road in Wednesbury.

Sport England has come out against the plan, due to concerns over the fate of £300,000 promised to improve green spaces elsewhere in the district.

Persimmon won council approval for 84 homes on the site in 2020, but it put in a new bid for more homes this year.

As part of the 2020 deal, Persimmon agreed the funding to put towards improving facilities at the Hydes Road playing fields, just over a mile away.

It was also supposed to improve pitches at the Phoenix Collegiate site in Clarkes Lane, West Bromwich.

But Sport England, the government body responsible for protecting playing fields, said it was worried that Persimmon was claiming there might be "viability issues" when it returned the plan earlier this year.

Sport England said it was unwilling to stop objecting to the homes plan unless the contractor agreed to spend the money as stipulated in the previous deal.

Sandwell Council's strategy for sports pitches says there is a shortage of facilities across the district, with many sites "overused". The strategy emphasises the importance of "protecting and improving" existing pitches.

Persimmon said better pitches had already been built at the Phoenix Collegiate site.

A spokesperson for Persimmon said: "We make sure to consider all feedback given in the consultation period of our developments. As part of our proposed community at the former Phoenix Collegiate site in Wednesbury, we will be pledging £300,000 to provide two new adult grass pitches.

"We have taken on board the comments from Sport England relating to our proposals and will be providing these funds in lieu of the pitches, with the replacements provided on the new Phoenix Collegiate school site."

Sports England did not respond to a request for comment.

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

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