GRANVILLE HOUSE HMO – Wood Green Road, Wednesbury. 

An HMO is a house of multiple occupancy, like a bed-sit. 

Granville House is currently being re-developed and extended to provide at least 28 bedrooms that will accommodate up to 50 (FIFTY) HMO residents. 

The new owner / landlord of Granville House must apply for an HMO Licence in order to operate the HMO, we want this petition to stop SMBC from approving that  HMO Licence Application.  

Granville House on the Wood Green Road is within a stone’s throw from the Sandwell Care in the Community (SCCT) Care Home of Portland House whose facilities and staff provide support for vulnerable adults with learning and physical disabilities.  It is within meters of Stuart Bathurst High School and Wood Green Academy.  

In 2020 Sandwell Council (SMBC) granted permission, subject to conditions, allowing the owner to redevelop Granville House and change its use from a nursing home into an HMO.  However,  SMBC’s Planning Department failed to inform the Planning Committee Members of a number of pertinent facts.  

Reported issues with having HMO's nearby have included:

• Increased issues with Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)
• Local Residents have difficulty selling their homes / decreased house prices
• Harmful impact on the character of the area
• HMO Residents fear for the safety of their children attending nearly schools and their safety in Brunswick Park.  
• Local Residents are more concerned about an increased level of burglary and thefts leading to an increased level of security of their property.
• HMO Residents are transient and therefore have no consideration or care for the local community or their neighbourhood. 

Directly next door to Granville House is Ormidale House which is already operating as an HMO for at least 15 residents.  We know that some residents from that HMO already cause issues for the residents and staff at Portland House Care Home who are tormented by noise and fighting from some of the HMO residents, drugs use within the HMO is rife.  Drugs paraphernalia is often strewn across the driveway of Portland House by some of the HMO residents and they have tried to gain access into Portland House causing distress to the vulnerable residents and staff.  

Granville HMO will have a communal garden / smoking area which will be directly over the boundary wall from the communal garden area of Ormidale House HMO.  Both are adjacent to Portland House Care Home.  With the large numbers of residents in both HMOs there is increased risk of conflict, shouting and partying especially when the spaces are utilised by ALL of the residents of both HMOs at the same time.  Landlords Forums state that where there are 5 or more HMO residents there is a greater risk of confrontation, jealousy and anger as residents become more territorial.  The vulnerable live-in patients occupying the bungalows at the rear of Portland House will bear the full brunt of any disturbances from the adjacent garden / smoking area, as will the residents in the neighbouring properties in Sparrow Close and Houliston Close whose properties back on to the HMOs.      

HMO Frontages are often used by drug addicts to make drug deals.  There will be greater instances of loitering on the frontages of both HMOs. 

Wood Green Road is extremely close to the two high schools, there is a bus stop immediately outside of Granville House used by children going to and from school.  This development will only further increase the risk and concern that parents have for the safety of their children.  The vulnerable residents from the Care Homes also pass by on their daily exercise walks.   

Please sign this petition.  We need as many supporters against this as possible so that Sandwell Council knows of the residents’ concerns for the safety of our area.

We cannot do this alone - please help by signing and sharing. 

Thank you for your support.