Part Two: Centres and Site Allocations (Regulation 18)
Brierley Hill Inset Site Allocations
1.73 Brierley Hill Inset Plan area contains two of the Borough's 'Priority Sites' at The Embankment / Daniels Land and Land at Waterfront Way and Level Street. Additionally, eight 'Housing Sites' and three 'Opportunity Sites' have been identified where redevelopment and regeneration would provide benefits to the centre. The allocated sites do not preclude or diminish the importance of investment or change elsewhere within the centre, they simply reflect the Council's wish to prioritise and progress projects which will have a significant impact and act as a catalyst for wider change.
1.74 Additionally, there are several sites identified for residential development within the Inset Plan area. These are identified within Local Plan Policy DLP10 as part of the overall housing land supply as summarised below.
Table 1.1: Summary of Brierley Hill Allocations
|
SITE |
MIXED USE |
RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY (INDICATIVE AND NOT A CAP) |
|
Priority Sites |
||
|
Land at Waterfront Way and Level Street (DLP BH PS1) |
No |
600 dwellings |
|
The Embankment / Daniels Land (DLP BH PS2) |
No |
300 dwellings |
|
Opportunity Sites |
||
|
Brierley Hill Civic Core Zone (BH OS1) |
Yes |
N/A |
|
The Waterfront East Entertainment Zone (BH OS2) |
Yes |
N/A |
|
The Venture Way Health and Education Zone (BH OS3) |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Housing Sites |
||
|
Level Street/Old Bush Street (DLP BH H004) |
No |
95 dwellings |
|
Harts Hill, east of Dudley Road (DLP BH H006 and H007) |
No |
310 dwellings |
|
Waterfront Way West (DLP BH H002) |
No |
61 dwellings |
|
Canal Walk South, Mill Street (DLP BH H003) |
No |
250 dwellings |
|
Land at Moor Street (DLP BH H001) |
No |
60 dwellings |
|
Land at Bell Street and High Street (DLP BH H010) |
No |
120 dwellings |
|
Oak Court Car Park, Dudley Road (DLP BH H008) |
No |
24 dwellings |
|
Old Carriage Works, Mill Street (DLP BH H009) |
No |
28 dwellings |
1.75 A policy is provided for each Priority and Opportunity site which identifies acceptable uses. For the Priority sites, key design principles are included within the policy, and these are based on an assessment of land use, access and movement, layout and form, scale and mass, character and appearance, and landscape and public realm.
(5) Policy DLPBH8 Residential Growth in Brierley Hill
- Sufficient land will be provided to deliver up to 1,636 new dwellings within the Brierley Hill Strategic Centre Inset Plan area during the plan period up to 2041.
- Residential development shall be the appropriate use on the following Housing Sites, as identified as residential development allocations on the Brierley Hill Inset Plan Policies Map, with other uses being unacceptable, unless they are small in scale and necessary to support residential-led development:
- Land at Waterfront Way and Level Street (Priority Site)
- The Embankment / Daniels Land (Priority Site)
- Level Street/Old Bush Street
- Harts Hill, east of Dudley Road
- Waterfront Way West
- Canal Walk South, Mill Street
- Land at Moor Street
- Land at Bell Street and High Street
- Oak Court Car Park, Dudley Road
- Old Carriage Works, Mill Street
- Proposed residential development within the Inset Plan area shall offer a range of house types and tenures, in accordance with the provisions of Policies DLP10, DLP11, DLP12 and DLP28 of this plan.
- Proposed residential development on the Housing Sites shall accord with the detailed provisions, development and design parameters for each Housing Site.
- Residential development across the Inset Plan area will be required to contribute to infrastructure provision in line with Policy DLP6, to be assessed on a site by site basis dependent upon the latest analysis at the time.
Justification
1.76 As Brierley Hill is the Strategic Centre within Dudley and contains existing and proposed improved public transport stops, under the overarching aim of making the efficient use of brownfield land for sustainable housing development, Brierley Hill is expected to have a strong role in providing new housing within the Strategic Centre.
1.77 On this basis, and as evidenced in the Dudley Urban Capacity Report, it is appropriate to set a target figure of 1,636 new houses to be delivered by 2041.
1.78 New housing sites have been identified within the Inset Plan area to meet this need for housing growth, particularly on sites which are sustainably located such as those sites located close to the Midland Metro line and its stops. New housing development within walking distance of the Metro stops or bus routes serving the stops, would create highly sustainable forms of development.
1.79 In order to create sustainable communities, there is a recognised need to develop high quality housing that meets a range of needs, such as family housing, housing for single person households, the elderly and those unable to compete on the open market.
1.80 A flexible and creative approach will be needed to provide a mix of dwelling types and tenures at a variety of densities suitable to a Strategic Centre, which is required to accommodate a balanced population. Residential development will be assessed and delivered in accordance with the provision of Policy DLP28 of this plan and will have an appropriate density dependent on the individual site.
Table 1.2. Housing Allocations in Brierley Hill
(1) Level Street/Old Bush Street
Assessment: This area is located within the Town Centre boundary between Brierley Hill High Street and The Merry Hill Centre and due to the lack of demand for additional B1a/ E(g) Office development (as evidenced within the DY5 EZ Review[6]) at this location, and also the appropriateness of residential development within centres, it is proposed to allocate this area for residential development.
(2) Harts Hill
Assessment: Part of this wider area has been developed for housing in recent years. A proposed allocation for a C3 Use is given further weight as a result of the sustainable location of this area for housing, being close to the Town Centre boundary as well as the proposed Midland Metro Stop at Canal Street.
(2) Waterfront Way West
Assessment: It is considered that it is appropriate that the wider office park to remain primarily in its E(g) Business Park use. The car park on Waterfront West at the junction of Waterfront Way is allocated for residential use and is likely to provide a high-density development and could provide student accommodation to cater for a potential demand arising from the recently opened music faculty at this location.
(1) Canal Walk South (Mill St)
Assessment: It is proposed that this Opportunity Site is allocated for residential redevelopment, with justification given through the DY5 EZ Review and the site's position at a sustainable location at a gateway into the centre, as well as being on the opposite side of Mill Street to the Nine Locks Conservation Area.
Assessment: This site is sustainably located, as it will be within easy walking of the Metro Terminus at Cottage Street, there is the potential here for a mixture of residential to sit near to retail uses. In addition, this Opportunity Site will also incorporate the Northmoor Industrial Estate and the former Brierley Hill Technical Institute (a Grade II Listed Building) as well as the vacant land on the corner of Moor Street and Fenton St. The acceptable use of this site is residential, with additional landscaping to form a gateway to the Brierley Hill High Street Conservation Area. It is considered important that any residential scheme on this site involves the conversion of the Listed Building, with any new development alongside it, sensitive to its setting and significance and sensitive to the setting of the Brierley Hill High Street Conservation Area. Residential redevelopment of the Northmoor Industrial Estate should be undertaken comprehensively to avoid piecemeal development and consequently amenity issues arising.
(1) Land at Bell Street and High Street
Assessment: This site sites along the High Street Frontage and is located close to the Metro Terminus at Cottage Street and St Michael's Church a local landmark to the west. Residential use here would sit alongside town centre uses and assist in increasing footfall within the centre. This site should also be considerate of the High Street Conservation Area and its setting as a gateway to the centre.
(1) Oak Court Car Park, Dudley Road
Assessment: Oak Court has recently benefitted from a number of approved planning applications that relate to the conversion of the building for residential units. The site is to the south of the Canal Street residential development and located adjacent to a hotel, with the railway line to the south of Oak Court. A wildlife corridor covers the majority of the site.
The site falls within Brierley Hill Character Zone 10 and was originally part of the Round Oak Glassworks and Round Oak Steelworks, also an Archaeological Priority Area.
(1) Old Carriage Works, Mill Street
Assessment: The Carriage Works is located in close proximity to the proposed Venture Way Health and Education Zone and is currently located adjacent to a public house and a number of retail uses on Mill Street. The proposal for this site is residential-led and is likely to deliver a high-density scheme.
The Carriage Works is a heritage asset located in the Brierley Hill High Street Conservation and Brierley Hill HLC Character Zone 1. This site is sustainably located due to it being adjacent to the proposed Metro terminus
