Planning win paves way for new small business units

Planning consent has been granted for the redevelopment of a former office building in the Black Country that will create new industrial accommodation for small businesses.

Hortons’ Estate Ltd is making a significant investment in the conversion of the vacant Wellington House on Bean Road in Coseley into eight new double-height small industrial units.

The redevelopment will retain the mass and height of the existing building, which will be hollowed out and subdivided at ground and first floor levels, before being refitted and re-clad to deliver smaller, individual workshops.

The units will feature new glazed entrances and roller shutters, colour-coated metal profiled cladding panels and shared service yard space and parking. Large refurbished windows will provide natural light and an active frontage along Birmingham New Road, while internally, an open plan floor space and part-retained first-floor level will offer flexibility for future occupiers.

Work is expected to start on the redevelopment in April 2023, with the units programmed for completion by the beginning of Q4 2023.

James Slater, head of building surveying and development at Hortons, said: “The redevelopment of Wellington House provides an exciting opportunity to bring new life to a vacant building in a sought-after location.

“We will be retaining the building’s concrete structure as part of the project, which will not only deliver environmental benefits but enable us to create eight modern, small business units of double height. It will serve a demand for accommodation of this size within the local area and has the potential to generate new employment, business and economic growth opportunities.”

Wellington House is part of the multi-let Wellington Industrial Estate, an established commercial location that extends to more than 750,000 sq ft. The estate offers a mix of newly refurbished industrial/warehouse and manufacturing units, and storage and development opportunities, and is accessible via the M6, M5 and local rail terminals.

CGI courtesy of Align Architecture.