Apartments approved at historic Stourbridge hotel

Posted by Barques on 8th November 2019 -

A property developer behind the multi-million pound residential conversion of Stourbridge’s Grade II listed Carnegie library, is set to transform another of the town’s historic buildings into modern apartments. 

Claremont Property Group has received planning approval from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for the full residential conversion of the The Bell Hotel, on the corner of Bell Street and Market Street, which was originally built almost 200 years ago. 

The project will deliver 14 studio one and two-bed apartments, including car parking and additional amenities, at the vacant three-storey Georgian property next to St Thomas’s Church. 

Andy Robinson, business development manager at Claremont Property Group, said: “We are very pleased to be given the opportunity to bring another important Stourbridge landmark back into use. This project will breathe new life into The Bell and give homeowners the chance to purchase high-quality, modern living in a way that celebrates the character and traditional features of an historic building. 

“We were one of the first developers to see the residential potential in Stourbridge for first time buyers, professionals on the move and those looking to downsize. Although we could have embarked upon a more typical residential development, we wanted to build on the success of The Old Library in the town centre, which provides homeowners with a completely unique experience. It has been incredibly popular for those taking their first steps on the property ladder through Help to Buy. We believe there is a clear local demand for purchasing a slice of history.” 

First built in 1820, the Old Bell operated as a coaching inn, before becoming a family commercial hotel and posting house with corn exchange vaults. 

The venue, which hosted the President’s Annual Spread attended by many of Stourbridge’s leading tradesmen, contained a billiards room with two tables supplied by Burroughes and Watts, an external yard and stables, and its own bowling green garden, described as the “finest in the country”. It had become the pub’s car park by 1965. Most recently the premises functioned as a nightclub and public house.  

The Bell is located in Stourbridge town centre, approximately 15 miles to the west of Birmingham and 12 miles to the south of Wolverhampton. 

The building is situated just a few minutes’ walk from a range of shops and services, including nearby Stourbridge Town station, with connections to Stourbridge Junction – a main train station into Birmingham and Kidderminster. Dudley and Birmingham can be accesses by car via the A458, with connections to the M5 motorway via Wildmoor. 

Founded by Manjit Deol and his sister, Perm Saini in 1999, Claremont Property Group is developing a reputation for repurposing and carefully restoring the original features of historic building stock, into exciting contemporary living spaces. 

The property investor and developer completed work on the two-year conversion of The Old Library in Hagley Road in July 2019 and has ambitious plans for the multi-million pound residential conversion of an historic former ‘flatted factory’ in Birmingham city centre.