During an inquiry into the authority’s proposed local plan for the next 15 years, two sites allocated for new housing development in the Harts Hill area of Brierley Hill came under scrutiny.
The sites are close to the Hammond Chemicals Ltd plant on Canal Street and planning inspector Louise Nurser, who is conducting the inquiry, was told the company objected to the sites being earmarked for up to 310 new homes.
Mark Dominic, on behalf of Hammonds, said: “We have one million litres of storage capacity for solvents on site, roughly the equivalent of 20 petrol stations.
“I would not recommend putting housing, which could include vulnerable people and children, next to such a site.
“We have invested heavily in safety but accidents do happen and we would not want a situation where we have pooling chemicals at the low topographical point at the exit of our site and egress for housing.
“Even sites adjacent to the facility – putting housing there is dangerous.
“These types of events are rare but can be catastrophic – it could take hours to bring a blaze under control.”
Dudley Council says there is already housing in the area which did not attract objections from the fire service.
In a letter to Hammonds the council said: “Given that there is existing residential development in close proximity to the Hammond Chemicals site as well as the wider area being developed for residential, it is considered the principle of residential development within the Harts Hill area has already been established.”
The inspector was told by council housing officers during a session of the hearing on Tuesday (June 24) that there was a landowner on one of the sites under discussion who was willing to sell land for development, but no housing was predicted to be built on any of the sites for the next five years.
The inspector was also told there was a planned Midlands Metro stop on Canal Street which would be ‘really positive for the area’ and more access routes to allow emergency vehicles to reach the area would be created during new development.
In a submission to the inquiry Hammonds said: “In a recent site visit by the fire service, the fire service said they were unaware of the proposed allocation for housing and did not consider it a wise proposal to place housing within such limited access and egress.”
In a further submission a health and safety consultant from Eddie Scoggins Safety Ltd, which was appointed by Hammonds, said: “Whilst the risk of a serious incident on the Hammond site is low, should one occur, it could put adjacent residents at serious risk from flying debris, fire and toxic smoke.”
Ms Nurser told council officers she required more evidence to determine whether the sites were capable of being used for housing and added: “I will have to look at the fundamental issue of whether it is appropriate for allocation.”