Dudley Local Plan Part Two

3. Stourbridge

Introduction

3.1This chapter outlines how Stourbridge Town Centre will develop and change over the plan period and sets out a vision for the town centre, which will be delivered through the Local Plan policies and site allocations (up to 2041). This chapter elaborates on the policies set out in Part One of the Dudley Local Plan by providing specific policies relevant to Stourbridge Town Centre. This chapter should be read primarily in conjunction with Chapter 10 (Centres and Town Centre Uses) within Part One, along with other relevant Part One policies as applicable to individual proposals.

3.2Stourbridge, on Dudley Borough’s south-west fringe, is a popular and attractive Town Centre close to open countryside, including the Clent Hills and Kinver Edge. With a compact and easily accessible Town Centre, it offers a pleasant shopping environment in the High Street and the Ryemarket shopping centre. The town is home to many smaller, specialist shops.

3.3Stourbridge still retains many of its later medieval market town features which contribute to its unique character. Lower High Street housed the market which gained its charter around 1482 and the Town Hall was built in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Students have been educated at King Edward VI College since 1430, and the present buildings date back to 1861. The Foster and Rastrick Iron Foundry (now Lion Medical Health) and the Bonded Warehouse, Canal Company Offices and Weighbridge in Canal Street are reminders of the industrial significance of the town throughout the 18th and 19th century. Stourbridge has been home to the world’s finest glass designers and makers since the 17th century forming part of the well-established Glass Quarter and today it still boasts the highest concentration of artists in the Dudley Borough.

3.4This chapter aims to make the most of Stourbridge’s valued and distinctive local character and further improve its vibrancy, attractiveness, and economic health.

3.5 This inset chapter covers Stourbridge Town Centre, including its conservation area and also encompasses the Stourbridge Wharf and wider Canal Wharf, also designated as a Conservation Area. The Stourbridge Town Centre Boundary and Stourbridge Town Centre Core Area boundary are identified on the Stourbridge Inset Policies Map.

Vision and Objectives

Policies

Stourbridge Town Centre and Town Centre Core Area

3.6In line with national and local planning policy, and developments for new main town centre uses will be directed towards the Town Centre and Town Centre Core Areas, as appropriate. The diversification and repurposing of Stourbridge Town Centre will be supported by approving development which enhances the viability and vitality of the centre. This is subject to the proposed use being appropriate to its location within the town centre and in accordance with Policy DLP24, which sets out the strategic approach to town centre development within the Borough, including appropriate uses. This section provides specific information relevant to Stourbridge Town Centre for context, but no additional policy provisions to Policy DLP24 are set out other than in site specific allocations.

3.7The Stourbridge Town Centre boundary comprises the area within the ring road, and the area of land between the ring road and Birmingham Street, identified as Angel Passage.

3.9Notwithstanding the above, in line with national planning policy it remains important to identify the Town Centre Core Area (formerly Primary Shopping Area) for the key purpose of identifying whether a retail development proposal constitutes edge of or out of centre development. It is recognised that there is likely to be a diversification of uses within the Town Centre Core Area, however, any new proposals for retail development will still be directed towards it in the first instance.

3.10The provision of additional residential developments, particularly through the re-use of upper floors of premises will be supported, subject to Policy DLP28.

3.11The proposals for the individual opportunity sites reflect the overarching vision for the Town Centre, with preferred uses identified for each site (see Opportunity Site Policies).

Stourbridge Wharf

3.12Stourbridge Wharf is a ‘linchpin’ area between Stourbridge Town Centre and the existing and proposed housing led regeneration areas within the River Stour and Stourbridge Branch Canal corridor. It has been described as a historic community asset, contributing to the distinctive character of Stourbridge, and having a multi-functional role for the benefit of the local community and visitors.

Justification

3.13The canal and the area to the north is designated as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC). Any proposed development for works should retain that vegetation which has nature conservation value and opportunities should be taken to enhance its value through development proposals or canalside enhancement works.

3.14The area is also a conservation area (The Canal Street Conservation Area), containing a Grade II Listed Building (The Bonded Warehouse) and four Locally Listed Buildings within a historic canal-side setting. The conservation area is currently included on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. An opportunity exists to draw on this heritage, including promoting and enabling canal-based activities, uses, and tourism, to reinforce the character thereby sustaining and improving conservation area.

3.15Enhancing the current pedestrian and cycle linkages around the Canal and River Stour in the Stourbridge Wharf area is important to promote active travel and create linkages within the communities. It is therefore important that new developments within these areas, such as Bradley Road East and West incorporate the development of new bridges to provide access to the surrounding areas and provide connections for residents on both sides of the canal and rivers to access surrounding infrastructure including, the Public Open Space, Riverside House, War Memorial Athletic Ground and Lion Health. While also providing better connection to the wider pedestrian and cycle network.

3.16In areas where the activities of SNT are based to help safeguard the operational viability of SNT development should consider the provision of car parking to facilitate the holding of events and the formalisation of enclaves within these areas.

Design and Public Realm Design

3.17Local Plan Policy DLP39 provides the overarching context for considering design quality. Regard should also be had to policies for the historic environment (Local Plan Policy DLP54 – DLP58). This section sets out those characteristics of the most importance to the Stourbridge inset plan area and town centre specific policies.

3.18Stourbridge contains many buildings of historic and architectural quality and interest, as well as attractive views within and out from the Town Centre core.

3.19The Assets in Stourbridge Town Centre help to shape the character, identity and visual quality of the town and it is essential that developments in the area that both respond to and respect the existing character and context of Stourbridge Town Centre.

3.20Where the historic character of the built environment makes a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, this should be conserved and enhanced wherever possible. All new developments should respect and respond to the positive characteristics of the locality. This most up to date Historic Landscape Characteristic and evidence should be used in considering how new development proposals and the enhancement of existing townscapes and landscapes should respect the town’s character.

3.21Stourbridge Town Centre has a distinguished heritage and contains many buildings of historic and architectural quality and interest, as well as attractive views within and out of the Town Centre. Views and landmarks within Stourbridge help people find their way around the Town Centre and create a variety and interest to the townscape that reinforces its sense of place and gives local identity.

Table 3.1. List of Stourbridge Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways

3.25The town’s character is greatly influenced by its public realm, with some locations in need of upgrading. Public open spaces provide a focus for community activity and form connections within the town centre.

3.26It would be beneficial to soften the appearance of Stourbridge Ring Road through the introduction of greenery into this relatively robust urban environment, through the use of tree planting and planters around the inner and outer core of the Ring Road and resolve the competing needs of vehicles and pedestrians moving through the Town Centre core. This conflict is exacerbated by the narrowness of many footways and on-street parking, together with the volume and movement of traffic. Improvements to these streets are required to retain space for some on-street parking and the passage of vehicles, including emergency vehicles, whilst giving a greater priority to pedestrians within a greener space.

3.27There are specific areas within the townscape which require a visual uplift. These are often streets which predominantly function as service areas, or where there is little activity or interest for those passing through to appreciate, as well as there are some parts of the town centre which have poor, inactive frontages facing the public realm, in particular those fronting the Ring Road . In addition, several the town’s existing squares would benefit from an upgrade, enabling them to realise their function as places of congregation and as special spaces within the pattern of buildings. Also, enhancement of the existing gateways in order to create welcoming entrances into the town centre and helping improve legibility and wayfinding.

Historic Environment

3.28The historic environment and heritage assets will be conserved and enhanced as per Local Plan Policy DLP54 – DLP58. This section sets out the key characteristics of the Stourbridge inset plan area and the town-specific evidence base information for context, but no additional policy provisions to Policies DLP55-DLP58 are set out (other than in site specific allocations).

3.29The Stourbridge UHLC provides the evidence base to inform an understanding of the town's historic character. This evidence should be used in considering how new development proposals and the enhancement of existing townscapes and landscapes should respect the towns character and enhance local distinctiveness and full references should be made in Design and Access Statements accompanying planning applications to the Stourbridge UHLC. Design and Access Statements should clearly set out the steps that have been taken to achieve locally responsive outcomes through either traditional or more contemporary design solutions.

3.30The study describes the historical development of Stourbridge and identifies 19 Historic Townscape Character Zones within the Town Centre and beyond. For each Character Zone, individual buildings and spaces have been identified, which contribute positively or otherwise to local character (designated and non-designated heritage assets). Where physical evidence of historic character persists in the form of heritage assets that make a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, such assets should be conserved and wherever possible enhanced (in line with national and local planning policy). In addition to the High Street Stourbridge Conservation Area and the Stourbridge Branch Canal (Canal Street) Conservation Area (designated heritage assets), locally significant non-designated heritage assets have been identified including Areas of High Historic Townscape and Landscape Value and Archaeological Priority Areas (APAs).

 

Stourbridge Ring Road

3.31One of the greatest design challenges that faces Stourbridge is to improve and raise the profile of the routes into and out of the Town Centre from the surrounding areas across the ring road.

Justification

3.32The ring road functions effectively in channelling traffic, but it is the dominant infrastructure within the town and, as a result, constrains pedestrian movement, funnelling people into subways under the multi-lane highway.

3.33The ring road also has had the effect of severing existing development blocks, leading to the exposure of the backs and sides of buildings and service areas, some of which are enclosed by advertisement hoardings (which serve to further reinforce the visual dominance of the ring road corridor). This gives rise to a fragmented environment. Potential improvements to the public realm of these areas could be achieved through the introduction of public art, such as green walls and murals.

3.34It is vital that new development has an active frontage onto the ring road and improves permeability, giving preference to pedestrian and cycleway connections across the ring road, greening the fringes and redressing the entrances at the outward face of the Town Centre.

Pedestrian Access and Cycling

3.35All developments should retain and improve existing cycle and pedestrian routes and provide new connections to facilitate access and allow for safe and easier movements around sites and the Town Centre.

Justification

3.36Pedestrian access across the ring road is currently via six subways and two surface level crossings. The subways provide safe and easy access between the Town Centre and surrounding areas, particularly for wheelchair users. However, these subways, which include the main passage from the Town Centre to the public transport hub, are not popular and often present poor-quality environments.

3.37The subways are likely to have to remain as some are the primary or only means of accessing the town from the adjoining areas. However, most will require upgrades to make them safer and more inviting for users. Additional surface level crossings will also be considered to enhance greater permeability within the environment in general, lessen the visual and physical impact of vehicular traffic and provide direct links to the Town Centre.

3.38A national cycle route (Sustrans Route 54 from Stourport to Derby) passes through the plan area, this Inset Plan aims to facilitate and sign these routes and enhance the environment of the corridors through which they run. This includes providing additional cycle stands, this will allow those using the national cycle route and residents cycling into the town to use the facilities offered by Stourbridge, as well as the provision of new tree planting.

3.39It is important to continue to enhance the active travel offering in Stourbridge, this includes the development of new cycle and walking routes and the development of a Dudley Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

3.40Enhancing the current pedestrian and cycle linkages around the Canal and River Stour in the Stourbridge Wharf area is important to promote active travel and create linkages within the communities. It is therefore important that new developments within these areas, such as Bradley Road East and West incorporate the development of new bridges to provide access to the surrounding areas and provide connections for residents on both sides of the canal and rivers to access surrounding infrastructure including, the Public Open Space, Riverside House, War Memorial Athletic Ground and Lion Health. While also providing better connection to the wider pedestrian and cycle network.

Figure 3.4: Transport and Movement Plan: Stourbridge Town Centre

Stourbridge Town Inset Plan Area Site Allocations

3.41Stourbridge Town Inset Plan Area contains three ‘Opportunity Sites’ which have been identified where redevelopment and regeneration would provide benefits to Stourbridge Town Centre. These represent mixed use sites, which may include residential development. The Opportunity Sites do not preclude or diminish the importance of investment or change elsewhere in the centre. They simply reflect the Council’s wish to prioritise use of its resources to kick start and progress projects which will have a significant impact and act as a catalyst for wider change.

3.42In addition to the opportunity sites, there are several sites which have been identified within Policy DLP10 as part of the overall housing land supply as summarised below.

Table 3.2: Summary of Stourbridge Allocations

3.43A policy is provided for each Opportunity Site which identifies the acceptable uses.

3.44This Opportunity Site is located to the north of Birmingham Street and south of the Penfields Estate. The area is currently comprised of a number of occupied commercial properties, surface level car parking and green space.

3.45The site is outside of the Town Centre Core Area and is accessed off Birmingham Street, a busy A road which connects Lye and Stourbridge Ring Road. The River Stour runs through the site and offers an opportunity to create better connectivity to the river and create an active frontage to both Birmingham Street and the river. The site could deliver a mix of complementary uses including new residential developments and expansion of the commercial services while conserving and enhancing where possible the existing nature conservation at the site.

3.46While the site is located outside of the Stourbridge Town Centre Conservation Area, consideration needs to be given to the impact of proposals on the site’s designation as an Area of High Historic Landscape Value (AHHLV). In addition, given the part of the site’s designation as a SLINC and the River Stour location within the site, proposals will need to ensure they conserve and enhance the nature conservation importance and ecological surveys will need to be submitted with any planning applications. Parts of the site are located within Flood Zone 3 (see Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2025)). The built development should be steered to the areas within the site of lowest risk from fluvial and other sources of flooding risk. The Exceptions Test will need to be applied if any ‘more vulnerable’ residential development is sited in Flood Zone 3 at the planning application stage.

Stourbridge Town Centre Opportunity Site: Mill Race Lane

3.47Mill Race Lane Opportunity Site is located to the north east of Stourbridge Ring Road. The site can be accessed from Stourbridge Ring Road and the A491 (High Street). There is pedestrian access to the town centre using an underpass running under the ring road. There is potential to further enhance the active travel around Stourbridge through pedestrian links through the site, connecting the residential development to the north of the site to Stourbridge Town Centre.

3.48The site currently contains a number of large industrial units which are occupied by a range of uses. This includes a number of employment uses as well as some retail units which complement the surrounding industrial uses (e.g. Screwfix). The site also contains a number of leisure uses particularly in the southeast of the site. This includes food establishments, a nightclub, and children’s indoor play centre. Given the range of uses the site is currently active during the day to the employment and food venues, while also playing a role in the night-time economy of Stourbridge due to the active nightclub on the site. There is potential to expand the leisure offerings on the site, particularly around the current leisure uses subject to proposals meeting the requirements of policies DLP21 and DLP 22.

3.49While the site is outside of the Stourbridge Town Centre Conservation Area, consideration needs to be given to the impact of proposals on the site’s designation as an Area of High Historic Landscape Value (AHHLV) and as an Archaeological Priority Area (APA). In addition, part of the site is a designated SLINC and the River Stour location within the site, relevant proposals will need to ensure they conserve and enhance the nature conservation importance and ecological surveys may be required.

Stourbridge Town Centre Opportunity Site: Ryemarket

3.50The Opportunity Site is located within Stourbridge Upper High Street between the High Street and Market Street. The Ryemarket is a purpose-built shopping centre dating from the 1970’s. The site fronts an area of public realm towards the High Street, with entrances also from Market Street and Talbot Street.

3.51The Ryemarket comprises of a purpose-built covered shopping centre with retail at the ground floor, and a multi-storey car park above. An area of public realm sits between the Ryemarket and the High Street, which leads to the main frontage of the Shopping Centre with a number of retail units and cafes fronting the public realm area. There are opportunities to enhance the public realm surrounding the Ryemarket.

3.52Part of the site fronting Market Street falls within Stourbridge High Street Conservation Area and there a number of listed buildings adjacent to the site, this includes the Grade 1 Listed St Thomas’ Church sited opposite. Any proposals on the site should ensure they preserve and enhance the character and/or appearance of the Conservation Area and any upper floor developments should ensure that they do not impact on the setting, significance and views of St Thomas’ Church and neighbouring heritage assets.

Evidence

• Responses to the BCP Draft Plan consultation (2021)
• Black Country Centre Study (2020) and Update (2021)
• Black Country Historic Landscape Characterisation (2010)
• Black Country Historic Landscape Characterisation Study (2019)
• Borough-Wide Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation Study (2016/2023)
• Historic Environment Supplementary Planning Document (2017)
• Stourbridge Area Action Plan Spatial Development Framework Urban Design Evidence Base (2011)
• Stourbridge Branch Canal (Canal Street) Conservation Area Appraisal (2007)
• Historic Landscape Characterisation for Stourbridge
• Historic Environment Record (HER)
• National Design Guide
• Historic England Good Practice Advice Notes (GPAs) and Historic England Advice Notes (HEANs)
• Residential Design Guidance SPD (2023)

Delivery

• Historic Landscape Characterisation documents
• Adopted Conservation Area Character Appraisals
• Development Management process including Design and Access Statements and Statements of Heritage Significance
• Supplementary Planning Documents
• A regularly updated and maintained Historic Environment Record (HER).

Figure 3.5: Stourbridge Inset Plan