Artist's Edgbaston home to be demolished amid drugs and sex den claims

An artist's former home is set to be demolished amid reports it was being used as a drugs and sex den. Developers are seeking permission to build ten four-bedroom townhouses and a four-storey apartment block at 268 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, the former home of 19th century artist Charles Walter Radclyffe.

According to a council report, the site of the proposals is a villa which has attracted concerns over anti-social behaviour. A letter of support even claimed it was used by squatters and had become a ‘drug/sex den’.

Edgbaston MP Preet Gill echoed similar concerns, saying the property and land had been a “place of concern due to antisocial behaviour” for years. “For many years, I have expressed support to develop this site,” she continued.

READ MORE: I walked Birmingham's answer to New York's High Line and can see its potential

“This development will create new, quality homes for my constituents as well as creating local jobs and bringing investment into our community". The report said the loss of the existing building was “regrettable”.

It continued: "However, the building is not on the Locally Listed Building list and its identification as a building with historic interest and as such a non-designated heritage asset has only emerged through this planning application". On the loss of the building, the report said: “The more efficient use of land, particularly in meeting Birmingham’s challenging housing targets, weighs heavily in the planning balance.

"The opportunity to deliver housing on this site must be seriously considered". Another consideration raised in the report was the possible loss of a bat roost in the building.

“In the absence of mitigation, there is a risk that bats present at the time of works could be killed or injured and the existing roost will be destroyed,” it said. “Therefore, once planning permission is granted, works to the roof will need to be undertaken [...] to ensure bats are fully safeguarded during works and to detail the measures to be put in place to compensate for the loss of the existing roost".

The report concluded: “Whilst the loss of the non-designated heritage asset and associated bat roost is regrettable, the wider planning balance tips in favour of its loss". It said the benefits included affordable housing, construction jobs, investment in the ward and the removal of a vacant building reportedly used for anti-social activities.

"There would be no adverse impact on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers and the proposed development would have a beneficial impact on ecology and landscape locally,” it added. If approved, the development would provide a 9.62 per cent affordable housing offer of three one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments.

“The 9.62 per cent offer has been viability tested in accordance with policy and has been assessed as being the most that the scheme can viably provide,” the report said. The plans were recommended for approval, subject to a legal agreement, and will be considered by the city council’s planning committee this Thursday, November 28.