Part Two: Centres and Site Allocations (Regulation 18)

Policies

Dudley Town Centre and Surrounding Areas – Preferred Uses

Town Centre and Town Centre Core Area

2.16 Policy DLP24 sets out the general approach to town centre development within the Borough, including appropriate uses. This section elaborates on this by providing specific policies relevant to Dudley Town Centre.              

Justification

2.17 The town centre (as defined by the town centre boundary) will remain an important focus for day-to-day shopping and a range of other town centre uses such as offices, leisure and cultural facilities. As recognised in the Local Plan, in view of the changing nature of town centres, there is need for them to diversify in terms of uses that promote their vitality and viability; residential developments will have an increasingly important role alongside leisure and entertainment uses.              

2.18 Retailing in the town is dominated by independent retailers with a small number of national multiples, many of which are discount orientated. There are two shopping centres in the town, namely the Churchill Shopping Centre and the Trident Centre, as well as the Fountain Arcade shopping arcade. There is a popular permanent outdoor market in High Street which has been redeveloped and enhanced. The Plaza Mall Indoor Market is located centrally on the High Street as well as smaller retail units between the Market Place and Tower Street. There is now only one foodstore within the town centre, the Asda store at the top of the High Street. There are a selection of food and drink establishments, the offer of which has improved in recent years (e.g., around Stone Street). A range of services including several high street banks and the post office continue to operate in the town.              

2.19 The supporting evidence to the Local Plan identifies there is no quantitative need for additional retail, leisure and office floorspace. It does identify a qualitative need for an anchor foodstore within Dudley Town Centre, but there are no timescales for this other than up to the end of the plan period (and there have not been any specific proposals put forward as part of the Local Plan process to date). The emphasis therefore is on the consolidation of core areas and the diversification of uses on development sites to enable the repurposing of town centres, taking account of the most up to date information available on needs at the time of any specific proposals (as emphasised in Policy DLP24). In relation to the qualitative need for an anchor foodstore, the Council will work proactively with landowners and developers to seek to meet this need, including consideration of the potential for repurposing existing floorspace within the town centre and the town centre Opportunity Sites (where appropriate).

2.20 Alongside this, the recent changes to the Use Class Order (wherein retail uses now lie within the same 'E' Use Class as other uses, including food and drink or offices) mean that retail uses are now able to change more freely to other uses (i.e., without the need for planning permission). Whilst this enables town centres to become more flexible and responsive to changes, it does mean that it is now more difficult to manage the loss of retail and some other town centre uses.              

2.21 Nevertheless, in line with national planning policy it remains important to identify the Town Centre Core Area for the key purpose of identifying whether a retail development proposal represents edge of or out of centre. 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.

2.22 Dudley town centre has a particular function as a heritage and leisure focus for regeneration and this can be enhanced further via new developments and initiatives. These include the implementation of the 'Castle Hill Vision' (2019) (Phases 1 and 2 already underway or completed) or the reintroduction of leisure and tourism uses by the appropriate repurposing of vacant premises, such as the Museum and Art Gallery at Priory Street/Stone Street. Associated uses, including food and drink provision and visitor accommodation will also complement this focus, with the potential to create clear 'quarters' for leisure and entertainment in the town e.g., Stone Square which contains existing food and drink provision and has the potential for visitor accommodation.

2.23 Vacant office buildings offer an opportunity to be repurposed considering changes to the town centre office market. Some former large-scale offices in the town centre have already been converted for residential use (Falcon House) or have been demolished (Cavendish) for alternative uses.

2.24 The proposals for the individual Priority and Opportunity Sites reflect the overarching policy for the town centre, with preferred uses identified for each site (see Priority and Opportunity Site policies).             

Figure 2.1: Dudley Town Tourism and Visitor Attractions

Areas outside the Town Centre Boundary

Castle Hill

2.25 In addition to the housing provision at the Priority and Opportunity Sites, several housing allocations are identified within the plan area. There is a concentration of these along Wolverhampton Street, which offers the opportunity for a 'corridor' of potential change towards residential development that could serve to help regenerate this part of the town centre.

2.26 The Castle Hill area is primarily that covered by the Castle Hill Conservation Area and its immediate surrounds. It represents a vital hub for the towns' leisure and tourism facilities, as well as education and training opportunities. Whilst the southern part of the area (including Dudley Castle and Zoo) lies within the town centre boundary, the northern part of the site (primarily occupied by the woodland area) lies outside the town centre boundary.

Justification

2.27 A 'Castle Hill Vision' (2019) has been prepared to guide the future development of this area. The Vision identifies several projects related to improvements and investments to the Dudley Zoo and Castle and Castle Hill Woodland. It represents a collaboration between the zoo, the council and other stakeholders and is being implemented in phases.              

2.28 The first phase of the Castle Hill Vision included a new zoo entrance, a new access road off Tipton Road and the expansion of the existing zoo car park. Phase two includes proposals to transform the four tecton buildings and create a new mixed-use facility which could be used for activities, training and education, meetings and conferences. Part of the vision also includes a new university centre to expand the town's learning quarter, which will be on the site of the former Hippodrome (at the foot of Castle Hill).              

2.29 The Dudley Town Centre Area Action Plan (2017) identified Opportunity Site (7- Castle Hill), which lies directly to the east of the Castle Hill Conservation Area. This has been the subject of recent developments including the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre and the Black Country and the Marches Institute of Technology. The forthcoming Metro line will cross the A4037, to the east of Castle Hill. To the northeast, the Castle Hill areas' links to the Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Archives and Dudley Canal Trust are also important and have been the subject of improvements in recent years.

2.30 The continued implementation of the Castle Hill Vision will serve to enhance the visitor experience to the town centre, including its surrounding attractions. The projects which are likely to be the focus of work going forward include improvements to the Castle Hill woodland and its connections to the town, surrounding attractions and Wrens Nest NNR.