Dudley Council

Part Two: Centres and Site Allocations (Regulation 18)

Ended on the 22 December 2023
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Design and Public Realm

Design

3.13 Local 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 DLP55 – DLP62). This section sets out those characteristics of the most importance to the Stourbridge Town Centre inset plan area and town centre specific policies.

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

Policy DLPS3 Urban Character and Appearance in Stourbridge

  1. All new development within the plan area shall:
    1. Respect and respond to the local distinctiveness and existing context of established built form, scale, and massing that presents the broad urban townscape of the Inset Plan area. This includes locally distinctive plot widths, building heights, building proportion, roofscapes, form, materials, distinctive style, and historical relationship of the pattern of building in its sense of enclosure of the streets on which it stands.
    2. Provide for, and take opportunities to, enhance active frontages at the interface between public and private spaces, in particular those fronting the ring road, River Stour and Stourbridge Branch Canal, reduce the physical and visual impact of vehicles and service areas, and enable a clear distinction between public and private spaces.
       
  2. The choice of which locally distinctive elements are incorporated into the design of a development, and the degree to which they are incorporated, depends upon the location of the proposal, and the function the building serves in the townscape as described by other Policies in this Plan.
     
  3. Developments can incorporate elements not described as 'locally distinctive' or be of a more contemporary style provided that the overall design of the development does not harm the achievement of a locally distinctive Town Centre.

Justification

3.15 The 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.

3.16 Where 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.

(1) Policy DLPS4 Stourbridge Town Design - Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways

  1. All new development should have regard to Policy DLP4, Policy DLP39 and Policy DLP55 to deliver high quality design. Developments within and in the setting of the Conservation Areas should have regard to Policy DLP56.
  1. New development and proposed alterations to existing buildings should:
    1. Enhance the sense of arrival by improving existing gateways and where appropriate create new ones that reinforce principal routes and spaces (see also Policy DLP D4).
    2. Create architectural corner features and new landmark features to improve the understanding of the town where appropriate.
    3. Safeguard and enhance local and important views, vistas, landmarks and gateways within and at the edges of the town centre.
    4. Protect key gateway buildings that give the town character and respect building lines, where appropriate, to assist the continuity of the town's heritage and help secure and improve views and vistas.
    5. Respect the height and mass and visibility of existing Stourbridge landmarks. Such landmarks should not be overwhelmed by new development nor their setting compromised. Consideration of the effect on setting has regard to the importance of the landmark, the extent of any harm, and the benefit arising from development.
    6. Ensure that new buildings have a scale, mass, height and impact that is responsive to its context and sensitive to its roofscape/skyline.
    7. Create variations in roofscape that will respect important local and strategic views.
    8. Ensure that larger development facades and rooflines should reduce their scale and massing by subdividing into smaller architectural elements.
       
  2. Where new development is likely to have an impact on an identified view, skyline or landmark, accurate visual representations will be required as part of any development proposals. Choice of materials and finishes need careful consideration in order to protect and enhance the existing design context.
     
  3. The following landmarks, gateways, views and vistas should be protected and enhanced where possible in accordance with the above Policy considerations:
    1. Strategic Landmark (Positive):
      • SLP1- Stourbridge Town Hall
      • SLP2- St Thomas's Church
      • SLP3- Former Library and Art College
      • SLP4- The Town Clock
      • SLP5- Bonded Warehouse
      • SLP6- Titan Works
      • SLP7- Alexandra House, Enville Street
    2. Local Landmarks (Positive):
      • LLP1- The Old Bank (former Yorkshire Bank), no. 38 High Street
      • LLP2- Nos. 101/102 High Street (Corner of Court Street)
      • LLP3- The Chequers Inn public house, no. 96 High Street
      • LLP4- Methodist Church, New Road (ring road)
      • LLP5- The Church of Our Lady and All Saints, New Road (ring road)
      • LLP6- Side Space, home of the Side by Side theatre company, in the former St. John's United Reformed Church, St. John's Road (ring road)
      • LLP7- Strawberry Hill Gothic (7 Lower High Street)
      • LLP8- King Edward IV College, middle of Lower High Street
      • LLP9- Nickolls & Perks (wine merchants) Top of Lower High Street
      • LLP10- The Duke William public house, 25 Coventry Street/corner of Duke Street
      • LLP11- Lion Health (former Foster & Rastrick Works)
    3. Edge Gateway:
      • EG1- Pedestrian gateway, subway connection from Stourbridge Interchange/Stourbridge Town rail station, arriving in Foster Street Place
      • EG2- Pedestrian gateway from Hagley Road/Church Street into the High Street & vehicular gateway from St. John's Road (ring road) into the top end of the High Street
      • EG3- Pedestrian gateway (subway link) from Worcester Street into Market Street
      • EG4- Pedestrian gateway (controlled crossing point over Bath Road (ring road) from the old town via Green Street/Lion Street into Bell Street
      • EG5- Pedestrian gateway (subway link) from A458/Enville Street or from Hemplands Road into Crown Lane & vehicular gateway from A458/Enville Street onto Bath Road (ring road)
      • EG6-­­ Pedestrian gateway via underpass from Bradley Road/Lower High Street/A491 & St. John's Road (ring road) into Lower High Street & vehicular gateway from A491 onto the ring road/St. John's Road
      • EG7- Pedestrian gateway (subway link) from A458 Birmingham Street to Duke Street & vehicular gateway from St. John's Road (ring road) into Duke Street
         
  4. Development should have regard to and respect the following important views and vistas:
    1. Panoramic View (View Cone) in/out of Stourbridge:
      • PV1- From A491 looking southwards across the bottom of Lower High Street into the heart of the town centre (with the tower of Stourbridge Town Hall and the spire of Our Lady & All Saints both visible)
      • PV2- From the junction of Parkfield Road/Vauxhall Road looking northeast towards the town centre (clearly visible: the tower of the fire station, Side by Side Space - in the former St. John's Church, former Library & Art College, and the spire of Our Lady & All Saints)­­
      • PV3- From Bath Road (ring road) looking north towards the tree-lined ­­horizon
    2. Strategic View:
      • SV1- From Worcester Street looking north across New Road (ring road) into Market Street and the heart of the town centre (with the tower of Stourbridge Town Hall visible)
      • SV2- From A491 looking southwards across the bottom of Lower High Street into the heart of the town centre (with the tower of Stourbridge Town Hall and the spire of Our Lady & All Saints both visible)
      • SV3- From St. John's Road (ring road) looking southwards across the core of the town centre to the spire of Our Lady & All Saints, New Road (ring road)
    3. Vista:
      • V1- From the bottom of Lower High Street looking southwards towards the top of Lower High Street (with the top of the tower of Stourbridge Town Hall visible)
      • V2- From Crown Square looking southwest along Market Street (with the tower/side of Stourbridge Town Hall clearly visible)
      • V3- From Crown Square looking southeast along the High Street (with the former post office visible)
      • V4- From Crown Square looking eastwards along Coventry Street
      • V5- From Crown Lane looking eastwards towards Nickolls & Perks on the corner of Coventry Street (The Old Bank to the right & The Mitre to the left)
    4. Local View:
      • LV1- From the High Street looking across the Ring Road (southeast) towards the former Library & Art College
      • LV2- From the Ring Road looking southeast towards the former Library & Art College
      • LV3- From Hagley Road looking northeast towards the former Library & Art College
      • LV4- From Church Street looking northwest towards the rear of former Library & Art College
      • LV5- Coventry Street looking northwest towards The Mitre public house
      • LV6- Crown Lane looking northwest across the Ring Road towards Alexandra House, Enville Street
      • LV7- Bath Road (Ring Road) looking northwest towards Alexandra House, Enville Street
      • LV8- Court Street looking southeast across New Road (ring road) towards the former Library & Art College
      • LV9- Court Street looking southwest across New Road (ring road) towards Our Lady & All Saints
      • LV10- Victoria Street looking southeast across New Road (ring road) towards Our Lady & All Saints
      • LV11- Victoria Street looking south across New Road (ring road) towards the Methodist Church, New Road
      • LV12- From A458/junction with St. John's Road (ring road) looking west across the ring road towards the Duke William public house, corner of Duke Street/Coventry Street
      • LV13- From the junction of A491 High Street/Canal Street looking west along Canal Street (Bonded Warehouse)

Justification

3.17 Stourbridge 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.

3.18 Having an understanding and appreciation of the landmarks, views, vistas and gateways of the town will help prevent the erection of out of scale, poorly designed or sited buildings and structures within particular sight-lines around the town.

3.19 The buildings in the Town Centre largely demonstrate a coherent three storey form, with frontages onto the street and traditional shopfronts. It is important that the local distinctiveness of the town is reflected through new development and enhancements that respect and complement the town's traditional built form, height, scale, and mass.

3.20 The 'Landmarks, Views, Vistas and gateways' plan illustrates an urban design appraisal of views, vistas, features and gateways both at the local and strategic level that positively contribute to the legibility of the town. Historically significant strategic landmarks such as the St Thomas's Church (SLP2) and panoramic, strategic views are included along with vistas and local views. Where new development is likely to have an impact on an identified view or landmark, accurate visual representation of changes to the view will be required. Careful consideration will need to be paid to building materials and finishes, skylines and silhouettes.

Figure 3.1: Stourbridge Town Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways Plan

This plan shows the landmarks, views, vistas and gateways in Stourbridge town. There is a panoramic view from the eastern boundary overlooking much of the town centre. See Policy DLPS4 Stourbridge Town Design - Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways for more detail.

Public Realm

3.21 The 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.

Policy DLPS5 Public Realm in Stourbridge

  1. The townscape within the Town Centre shall be enhanced to provide a high-quality space, particularly for the use of pedestrians and cyclists. Specific measures, which development will be expected to contribute to, include:
    1. The enhancement of the following spaces as Town Centre 'squares' with locally distinctive hard and soft landscaping, seating (in association with adjoining uses as appropriate) and lighting, and, where appropriate, public art:
    2. Ryemarket Square (at the entrance to The Ryemarket from High Street)
    3. Foster Street Square (where the subway emerges onto Foster Street)
    4. St.Thomas's Square (the gardens at Market Street)
       
  2. The enhancement of the following spaces of public realm, with locally distinctive hard and soft landscaping, seating (where appropriate) and lighting, and where appropriate, public art:
    • Proposed Lower High Street gateway and public realm
    • Greenfield Gardens
    • Brook Street
    • Ryemarket Entrance (Market Street)
    • Victoria Passage Entrance (Talbot Street)
    • Entrance to Smithfield Market
       
  3. The enhancement of the following streets and paths which are particularly in need of a visual uplift with locally distinctive hard, and more significantly, soft landscaping and where appropriate, public are:
    • Town Centre's historic passageways
    • Talbot Street
    • Victoria Street
    • Queen Street
    • Lower High Street
    • Birmingham Street
    • Foster Street
       
  4. The Town Centre comprising High Street and Market Street shall be the subject of public realm improvements, giving more priority to pedestrian movement whilst retaining on-street parking in bays within an enhanced streetscape. In particular, public realm improvements shall address:
    1. The provision of bespoke designed surfacing and footway widening along the length of the zone to run into the Public Squares.
    2. The provision of greener thoroughfares including the planting of native or locally distinct trees.
    3. The accommodation of, and works to facilitate, the holding of markets and events within the Town Centre core.

Justification

3.22 It would be beneficial to soften the appearance of Stourbridge Ring Road through 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.

3.23 There 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.

Figure 3.2: Stourbridge Legibility and Public Realm Plan

This plan shows the legibility and public realm in Stourbridge. See Policy DLPS5 Public Realm in Stourbridge for more detail.

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