RESIDENTS and councillors have celebrated their success in improving designs for more than 200 houses which are set to be built at a major gateway into Halesowen.

Planning has been granted by Dudley Council for homes and an industrial park to be built on the Excelsior Industrial Estate in Hurst Green – one of the largest brownfield areas in the borough.

Local resident Parmjit Sahota has been working with Halesowen North councillor Hilary Bills to make alterations to the design for the proposed development.

After meeting with Dudley’s planning department to discuss the design and submit their detailed plans in a bid to help improve the quality and environmental layout of the site – which straddles the border of Halesowen and Blackheath – the pair’s suggestions have been accepted.

Mr Sahota, who has a professional background in regeneration and neighbourhood management in local government, said: “The original plans submitted in 2015 did not blend the new housing in with the mature housing of Hurst Green.

“A number of residents backed my campaign and I am pleased our suggestions have been incorporated into the final plans.”

Cllr Bills, who is now working on a suggestion from another resident, added: “I was speaking to someone who worked on this site in the 1950s when the company was BTH.

“He said it would be good have a plaque or a memorial for all the thousands of workers who worked on this site for many years.

“So we’ll be asking the developers for a landmark feature somewhere on Nimmings Road, which is a gateway into Halesowen, to remind everyone of the history of this area.”

Although the new housing has been welcomed, councillors have raised concerns with the ongoing issues of commuter parking in the area, due to the development being in close proximity to Rowley Regis Train Station.

But Cllr Bills said: “We need to work with Sandwell Council and Transport for West Midlands to resolve this issue.”