Dudley Council

Part Two: Centres and Site Allocations (Regulation 19)

Ends on 29 November 2024 (8 days remaining)

4. Halesowen

Introduction

4.1 This chapter outlines how Halesowen Town Centre will develop 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).

4.2 Halesowen stands on the border of the Black Country and Birmingham and is exceptionally convenient for both. It can be traced back to the 1086 Domesday Survey although the manor and town of 'Halas' is thought to be Anglo-Saxon. From the early 13th century, it was a thriving market town, becoming a local centre for woollen cloth weaving and a regional market centre for corn, receiving its market Charter in 1220. The town's position next to the River, Stour provided access to waterpower for industry, cornmills and by the 17th century, metal forging. The Town Centre is dominated by the Grade I listed church of St John the Baptist and shoppers enjoy the High Street, Cornbow Shopping Centre and regular Farmers' Market. Outside of the Town Centre itself, Halesowen benefits from being located next to beautiful countryside. The ruins of the 13th century Halesowen Abbey are just outside the town, as is The Leasowes which was laid out by the 18th century poet William Shenstone and was one of the first natural landscaped gardens in Europe.

4.3 In recent years, Halesowen has benefited from significant investment, the most recent being at Halesowen Leisure Centre, which has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment. The former Hobbs building (27 Great Cornbow) has undergone major repair and refurbishment and is now the home for the Halesowen Business Improvement District (BID). The Town Centre underwent a £30 million regeneration to redevelop the Cornbow Shopping Centre to include a new Asda supermarket, together with a new multi-storey car park, an expanded state-of-the-art bus station and improvements to the road layout.

4.4 Furthermore, Levelling Up Funding was secured in November 2023 to enable the council to work with Halesowen College to create a new college building in the town centre, which will provide vocational training programmes and adult education courses.

4.5 Halesowen is located within Regeneration Corridor 4 (Lye to Halesowen), as designated in the DLP. These regeneration corridors will be the primary focus for new development, regeneration and infrastructure investment, to support the delivery of significant growth and promote wider benefits to the community.

4.6 These Halesowen Town Centre policies seek to preserve and enhance the best of Halesowen's existing character whilst building on recent successes and positively planning for its future. These policies set out the planning framework for Halesowen Town Centre, guiding future development and investment up to 2041 and provide a vision for the Town Centre, through its policies and site allocations, whilst setting out how that vision will be delivered.

The Halesowen Town Centre Inset Plan Boundary

4.7 The Halesowen Town Centre Inset Plan builds upon the Dudley Local Plan. It is working towards its vision for stronger communities by planning for an attractive environment for people to live, work and invest in, and improving the vibrancy and attractiveness of Halesowen Town Centre.

Vision and Objectives Comment

The vision for Halesowen Town Centre is a statement of where Dudley Council and its community want to get to and what this Inset Plan should deliver by 2041.This vision has been informed by an understanding of the issues and opportunities in the Town Centre, responses to the Draft Black Country Plan Consultation and the overarching vision for the Dudley Local Plan.

Halesowen benefits from having a compact, well presented and accessible Town Centre, providing for local shopping and community activity. A key natural asset of the Town Centre is its position alongside the River Stour corridor. The Town Centre further benefits from a variety of historical features and open spaces. These assets will be maintained and enhanced by all new development.

The Town Centre will succeed as a focus for retail activity and a range of other uses including employment, housing, leisure, entertainment, culture, education, and tourism. The centre's evening economy will be protected and promoted. The Town Centre will continue to be supported by effective and sustainable transport connections and be accessible for all to visit and make use of its facilities.

Above all, Halesowen will be a place that everyone will want to work, live, visit and a centre in which people want to invest and do business.

The following specific objectives for Halesowen have been identified:

  1. To maintain and build upon Halesowen Town Centre's recognised role in providing for local needs in an accessible and sustainable way by providing appropriate day-to-day shopping facilities and other suitably scaled town centre land uses such as housing, leisure, entertainment, culture and tourism.
  2. To ensure that Halesowen continues to enjoy the social and economic benefits to be gained from the town's successful and diverse range of education facilities and will encourage appropriate improvements to town centre facilities and infrastructure in this regard.
  3. To provide, protect and enhance a well-connected landscape and public realm setting of streets, routes and public spaces that is attractive, safe, lively and pleasant to use, whilst also greening the town centre.
  4. To capitalise on Halesowen's unique natural assets by protecting, enhancing and improving access to the River Stour, its bank-side habitats and other green open spaces and infrastructure leading to and within the town centre for people and nature.
  5. To ensure that the character and quality of Halesowen's historic environment is capitalised on, in terms of its townscape, landscape, individual buildings, plan form and archaeology and ensure it is recognised by the community as one of the town's great assets.
  6. To improve ease of movement for pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities and vehicles in, at the edges of and into the town centre (in particular Halesowen Bus Station) by enhancing streets, routes and spaces and potentially creating new ones, which will provide an environment that is safe and active, more direct and better integrated both physically and visually.
  7. To achieve consistently high-quality urban design, architecture and landscape that is sustainable and enhances existing buildings and spaces within Halesowen Town Centre.
  8. To strengthen local character and distinctiveness by setting an approach that ensures new development respects the context of the Town Centre.
  9. To strengthen the town's evening economy by providing more activities which are safe, balanced and socially responsible.
  10. To improve safety and security through good design and layouts that will assist in deterring crime, anti-social behaviour and reduce the fear of crime.

Halesowen Town Centre and Town Centre Core Area

4.8 The Halesowen Town Centre boundary comprises Halesowen's compact and well-defined shopping area. It extends northwards to include St John the Baptist's Church and grounds and eastwards to include land to both banks of the River Stour (see policies map).

Policy DLPH1 – Development in Halesowen Town Centre and Town Centre Core Area Comment

  1. The Halesowen Town Centre and Town Centre Core Area boundaries is identified on the Halesowen Town Centre Inset Policies Map.
  2. In line with national and local planning policy, any new retail developments will be directed towards the Town Centre Core Area. Dudley Council will consider the application of planning conditions to any planning permissions granted to ensure the retention of the retail use where necessary, relevant, and reasonable in terms of the strategic importance of the development.
  3. Local Plan Policy DLP24 sets out the policy context for appropriate uses within Halesowen Town Centre (Tier Two Centre). The diversification and repurposing of Halesowen town centre in general will be supported by approving development that enhances the vitality and viability of the centre.
  4. The provision of additional residential development, particularly the re-use of upper floors of premises, will be encouraged through flexibility in the application of guidance and standards relating to parking provision and amenity (Local Plan Policy DLP28). All residential development must comply with the most up to date residential design guidance.
  5. In the case of any edge-of-centre or out-of-centre proposals, unless identified as a preferred use in the Opportunity Sites, these will only be considered favourably if a sequential test and impact assessment are satisfied (Local Plan Policy DLP26 and DLP27).
  6. Proposals that add to or improve Halesowen Town Centre's evening and night-time economy will be encouraged by Dudley Council.

Justification

4.9 The town centre will remain an important focus for day-to-day shopping and a range of other town centre uses such as office, leisure, and cultural facilities. As recognised in the Local Plan, in view of the changing nature of town centres, there is a need to diversify in terms of uses that promote and encourage their vitality and viability. 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. Whilst this enables town centres to become more flexible and responsive to changes, it does mean it is now more difficult to manage the loss of retail uses.

4.10 Notwithstanding 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.

Policy DLPH2 Education in Halesowen Comment

  1. Existing education facilities in Halesowen Town Centre will be safeguarded where there is a recognised need for them.
  1. Any additionally proposed education facilities will be supported in principle where appropriate within the Town Centre. Within the Town Centre Core Area, this should generally be above the ground floor (and mainly retail) frontages.

Justification

4.11 The wider Halesowen area is seen as a centre of excellence for education with regard to its schools and Halesowen College. Dudley Council share this view and recognise the education sector's benefits to Halesowen in terms of adding to the Town Centre's vitality and viability, providing for local jobs in schools and the college, and preparing local people for future employment.

Design and Public Realm

Design

4.12 Policies DLP4 and DLP39 provide the overarching context for considering design quality. Regard should also be had to DLP policies for the historic environment. This section sets out those characteristics of the most importance to the Halesowen Town Centre inset plan area and town centre specific policies.

Policy DLPH3 Urban Character and Appearance in Halesowen Comment

  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 and River Stour, 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:
    1. In the High Street / Hagley Street Character Area developments will incorporate a high degree of locally distinctive elements.
    2. Outside of this area, developments have the option of using a smaller choice and degree of locally distinctive elements provided that the overall character of the Town Centre is not prejudiced.
    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

4.13 Assets within Halesowen Town Centre help to shape the character, identity and visual quality of the town. It is essential that new development responds to, and respects, this existing character and context.

4.14 Where physical evidence of historic character persists in the form of assets that make a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, such assets should be conserved and wherever possible, enhanced. New development should respect and respond to the positive characteristics of the locality. The Halesowen Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation 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.

Policy DLPH4 Halesowen Town Design Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways Comment

  1. All new development should have regard to Policy DLP4, Policy DLP39 and Policy DLP55 to deliver high quality design.
  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 DLP4).
    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 (as shown in figure 4.1) 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 Halesowen landmarks. Such landmarks should not be overwhelmed by new development, nor their setting compromised. Consideration of the effect on setting should have 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 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- Church of St. John the Baptist
    2. Local Landmarks (Positive):
      • LLP1- Somers Square (Hagley Street/Great Cornbow)
      • LLP2- Hobbs, 27 Great Cornbow - office of Halesowen BID
      • LLP3- The Lyttleton Arms (former) & 87-89 High Street (no. 15 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­
      • LLP4- Former Methodist Church, Birmingham Street (no. 16 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­ – known locally as Benjamin's after a former occupier (now vacant)
      • LLP5- Whitefriars, 6-8 Church Lane (no. 19 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­
      • LLP6- 32 High Street (currently Little Acorns)
      • LLP7- The George Inn, 16 High Street (no. 28 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­
      • LLP8- Church of St. John the Baptist Mortuary Chapel, Hales Road (no. 31 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­
      • LLP9- Cornbow Bridge (no. 9 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail - ­­­­start of walking routes from Halesowen Town Centre to either The Leasowes; or to Old Hill Station, Hawne Basin/Dudley No. 2 Canal Walks and Coombeswood Walks)
      • LLP10- Meriden House, 6 Great Cornbow (former Fox Inn) (no. 11 Halesowen Architectural Heritage Trail)­­­­
      • LLP11- 1 Summer Hill, former bank (currently Jordans Solicitors)
    3. Edge Gateway
      • EG1- Halesowen bus station
      • EG2- A458 Stourbridge Road / Furnace Lane / Grammar School Lane / A458 Earls Way Island
      • EG3- Rumbow (from A458)
      • EG4- Grange Road junction with the Queensway (pedestrian entrance via subway link under the Queensway & vehicular entrance via primary roads)
      • EG5- A459 Queensway / B4183 Hagley Road Island
      • EG6- Laurel Lane (pedestrian entrance via subway link under the Queensway)
      • EG7- Summer Hill (pedestrian entrance via controlled crossing point over the Queensway)
      • Inner Gateway:
      • IG1- Bull Ring
  4. Development should have regard to and respect the following important views and vistas:
    1. Panoramic Views (View Cone) in/out of Halesowen:
      • PV1- From Hagley Road to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • PV2- From Bundle Hill looking eastwards over Highfields Estate to The Queensway/Bromsgrove Road
      • PV3- From Furnace Lane to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • PV4- From Earls Way to St. John the Baptist's Church
    2. Strategic View:
      • SV1- From Highfields Park, looking northeast over Highfields Estate to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • SV2- From Stourbridge Road to St. John the Bapti­­st's Church
      • SV3- From Furnace Lane to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • SV4- From the junction of Siviter Street/Cobham Road looking southwest to St. John the Baptist's Church
    3. Vista:
      • V1- Laurel Lane to Queensway
      • V2- Cornbow Bridge to Little Cornbow
      • V3- White Friars to St. John the Baptist's Church
    4. Local View:
      • LV1- Summer Hill to High Street (in both directions)
      • LV2- Rumbow to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • LV3- Bull Ring to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • LV4- Cobham Road, looking northwest over the River Stour to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • LV5- Birmingham Street to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • LV6- Centre Lane to St. John the Baptist's Church
      • LV7- Cornbow Bridge to Little Cornbow/Bull Ring

Justification

4.15 Views and landmarks within Halesowen help people find their way around the Town Centre, create a variety and interest to the townscape and reinforces sense of place. 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.

4.16 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 Church of St John the Baptist (SLP1) 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 4.1: Halesowen Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways

This plan shows the landmarks, views, vistas and gateways in Halesowen. There are a number of panoramic views looking across the centre. Policy DLPH4 Halesowen Town Design- Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways provides more detail.

Public Realm

4.17 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 DLPH5 Public Realm in Halesowen Comment

  1. The quality of streets and public realm will be improved through development proposals or local initiatives having regard to the following measures:
    1. The provision of high-quality hard and soft landscaping, street furniture, lighting, signage and public art to help create a clear identity for Halesowen Town Centre. Developers are encouraged to prepare strategies to coordinate the choice and location of these features, including their role in linking places.
    2. Mature tree planting and other soft landscape elements to assist the 'greening' and ecological enhancement of the Town Centre.
    3. Streets and spaces will be designed so that pedestrians, cyclists, people with disabilities and vehicles can mix safely.
    4. Proposals should create a safe, attractive, and comfortable external environment for all to enjoy, where the safety and security of people and properties is not compromised.
    5. Schemes are required to be designed with ease of access for all users as a prime consideration at the outset. Proposals should be in accordance with Dudley Council's Access for All Supplementary Planning Document (or replacement document) and are required to incorporate an Access Statement that shows how the principles of inclusive design have been integrated.
    6. Existing features will be protected where they make a significant contribution to the street scene.

Justification

4.18 The public realm can be defined as all areas that the public have access to 24 hours a day, such as streets, squares, paths, routes, open spaces and riversides. These components of the public realm form connections into, within and out from Halesowen Town Centre. Currently, the town's streets and spaces present a hard, urban environment where surface materials and some street furniture are worn and in need of updating.

4.19 Public open spaces provide a focus for community activity. There are currently very few public spaces in the Town Centre, current notable public spaces include the central outdoor space in Hagley Street, Somers Square and Highfields Park, although the latter is somewhat apart from the main flows of people in the Town Centre. Significant public realm and spaces have become invisible due to poor built form and layout and poor streetscape definition, notably the historic route and original marketplace known as Great Cornbow, Little Cornbow and Bull Ring.

4.20 St. John the Baptist's Church and churchyard are together considered to be a Designed Landscape of High Historic Value and form the most significant historic landmark feature in the town. In addition, Little Cornbow, Great Cornbow and Bull Ring form an Area of High Historic Townscape Value. They are considered to be a historically important group of public realm and spaces, originally functioning as a principal route into the town and marketplace. Currently, these streets and spaces are greatly underutilised and would benefit from greater cohesion and enhancement to strengthen the character of this area.

4.21 A high proportion of historically significant streets within the Halesowen Town Centre have been identified for enhancement, with reference to the Halesowen Spatial Development Framework and the Halesowen Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation studies.

4.22 Opportunities for new public spaces will be gained through redevelopment of the opportunity sites. Public spaces may be smaller, high-quality spaces and act as relief spaces as part of the existing public realm and/or the riverside improvements.

Policy DLPH6 Landscape and Open Space Network in Halesowen Comment

  1. Development should safeguard existing open space provision from loss or harm and provide new spaces to create a hierarchy of inspiring landscape and public realm projects to form a unique selling point for and improve the image of Halesowen Town Centre.
  1. Development proposals should:
    1. Consider and provide ways of increasing the amount of on-site amenity green space and publicly accessible natural and semi-natural green space within the Town Centre (in particular at the north-eastern area of the Town Centre). Dudley Council's 'Open Space, Sport and Recreation' Supplementary Planning Document gives further guidance.
    2. Provide a hierarchy of external spaces that have clarity of purpose and function, demonstrating an understanding of the need for the retention of existing or creation of new landscape elements and spaces.
    3. Provide a range for choice and opportunity for children's play, including for children with disabilities where appropriate.
    4. Reflect and enhance the local identity of parks, open spaces and the public realm.
    5. Make the most of past heritage by retaining and integrating structures that can become the focus and setting for newly created or re-invigorated landscapes and public realm.
    6. Integrate green infrastructure within the building design as an intrinsic part of the scheme's landscape strategy and enhancement of biodiversity. Green infrastructure includes such things as green roof and wall technology, and sustainable drainage.
    7. Be adaptable and flexible to changing social, physical and environmental needs.
    8. Provide spaces that help link communities together and reduce severance, seek opportunities for environmental enhancement of the connections, create connections where sections are missing, encourage public use or enhance their value for biodiversity as appropriate.
    9. Ensure development in the vicinity of the various green spaces and features that already exist and those identified for improvement or enhancement on the Policies Map will be required to preserve their landscape character.
    10. Employ remediation techniques where possible to bring contaminated and lower quality land back into use.
  2. The following public open spaces, as shown on the Landscape and Public Realm Map, will be protected, enhanced or created as part of development proposals and other initiatives:
    • Queensway south of St. John the Baptist's Church (enhanced space)
    • The River Stour (created and enhanced space) as part of a new bridge connection gateway space
    • Summer Hill (created space)
    • Great Cornbow, Little Cornbow and Bull Ring (enhanced space)
    • Rumbow/Fingerpost Gardens (enhanced)
    • Hagley Road (enhanced space)
    • Birmingham Road (enhanced space)
    • St John the Baptist's Church and wider cemetery/graveyard (protected space)
    • White Friars and environs (protected space)

Justification

4.23 Within the Halesowen Town Centre boundary, there are few public spaces or connected green spaces and there is no town park in the Town Centre. Existing green spaces tend to be concealed and poorly connected within a predominately hard urban environment (e.g. New Road and the outer road networks, isolated grass verges, and occasional green spaces such as Rumbow/Fingerpost Gardens). Existing public spaces include St John the Baptist's churchyard, but this is cut off from the pedestrianised areas, and Somers Square within the Town Centre Core Area, which provides a good example of high quality public space.

4.24 There is also an under provision of natural and semi-natural green space especially in the north-eastern areas of the Town Centre. Creating better access and landscape enhancement to the currently underutilised River Stour corridor will offer an opportunity to begin to address this shortfall, by way of linear green space links, publicly accessible amenity green space and other improvements to the open space network.

4.25 Established outdoor play provision is located beyond the Town Centre Inset Plan boundary. Space to create new outdoor play provision within the Halesowen inset plan boundary will be limited, and therefore other forms of provision such as the ambition to create a riverside walk that has exercise, educational and leisure purposes with formal and informal nature spaces may bridge that gap in provision.

4.26 Dudley Council's Open Space Audit (2019) confirms that the surrounding urban area is reasonably well served by parks and gardens and green space. The Leasowes Historic Grade I listed Park is located within 1km of the Town Centre and Highfields Park and Huntingtree Park are in close proximity to the Town Centre. Huntingtree Park is one of the Healthy Hub Sites identified as part of the Dudley Healthy Town's Initiative with the route between the park and the town centre designated as an active corridor, to promote cycling and walking.

4.27 However, due to severance created by development, major roads and topography, pedestrian accessibility to these important spaces from the Town Centre is, in some instances, challenging and routes are unclear. The connections between green and open spaces are just as important as the spaces themselves. For people to visit their local green and open spaces, there must be attractive and accessible routes, therefore, where possible pedestrian access should be improved.

4.28 Within Halesowen, many existing routes would benefit from landscape enhancement. Such enhancement will improve and define the open space network and improve the public realm overall. The Landscape and Public Realm Map indicates key streets that are highlighted for enhancement.

Figure 4.2: Halesowen Legibility and Public Realm Plan

This figure shows the Halesowen legibility and public realm plan. Policy DLPH5 Public Realm in Halesowen provides more details.

Historic Environment

4.29 The historic environment and heritage assets are to be protected, conserved and enhanced as per Local Plan Policies DLP55 to DLP62. This section sets out those characteristics of the most importance to the Halesowen Town Centre Inset Plan Area and the town centre specific policies.

Policy DLPH7 Conservation and Enhancement of Local Character and Distinctiveness in Halesowen Comment

  1. All development proposals should take account of the locally distinctive character of the area in which they are to be sited, including its historic character, and should respect and respond to its positive attributes. Physical assets (buildings, sites, or areas together with their settings) whether man-made or natural that positively contribute to the local character and distinctiveness of Halesowen's landscape and townscape should be retained and wherever possible enhanced and their settings be respected.
  2. New development in Halesowen should be designed so as to reinforce and enhance local distinctiveness and full reference should be made in Design and Access Statements accompanying planning applications to the Halesowen Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation. 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. In respect of major individual developments or in relation to particularly environmentally sensitive areas, developers may in future themselves be required to commission more detailed "Local Area Character Appraisals" (as defined in the Dudley Historic Environment SPD) to inform specific land use proposals more fully.
  4. In cases where changes of character or demolition are unavoidable Dudley Council will seek to ensure that provision is made for an appropriate level of archaeological recording to take place prior to the alteration of the features concerned.

Justification

4.30 Assets within Halesowen Town Centre help to shape the character, identity and visual quality of the town. It is essential that new development responds to, and respects, this existing character and context.

4.31 Where physical evidence of historic character persists in the form of assets that make a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, such assets should be conserved and wherever possible, enhanced. New development should respect and respond to the positive characteristics of the locality.

4.32 The Halesowen 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.

4.33 The study describes the historical development of Halesowen and identifies 14 Historic Townscape Character Zones within the Town Centre and beyond (figure 4.3). For each Character Zone, individual buildings and spaces have been identified that contribute positively or otherwise to local character. Where physical evidence of historic character persists in the form of assets that make a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, such assets should be conserved and wherever possible enhanced. Locally significant areas of high historic townscape and landscape value have been identified alongside individual heritage assets of varying significance, including Archaeological Priority Areas (APAs).

Figure 4.3: Halesowen UHLC Boundary and Character Zones

This plan shows the urban historic landscape character zones of Halesowen. The historic landscape and character zones extend further than the Halesowen inset boundary. There are 14 character zones shown in the plan.

Policy DLPH8 Access and Movement in Halesowen Comment

  1. All development should retain and improve all useful, safe, and appropriate vehicular and pedestrian routes. Development should provide new routes that make access and movement easier, safer, more attractive and visually varied through and within built up areas.
  1. Development should ensure that:
    1. Streets link up and layouts are designed to encourage safer walking, cycling, use by people with disabilities, and access to public transport.
    2. In new areas of residential development, new streets should be designed to prioritise pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities.
    3. All development and townscape and landscape enhancements should seek to incorporate measures for the ease of access of everybody. This will ensure unhindered movement for everyone to and within Halesowen Town Centre and also along the River Stour corridor pathways. It will enable people with disabilities, the elderly and the infirm to have ease of access to, and avail themselves of, the facilities provided within the Town Centre. Proposals should be in accordance with Dudley Council's Access for All SPD and are required to incorporate an Access Statement that shows how the principles of inclusive design have been integrated.
    4. In some instances, a proposal may have substantial benefits to the wider local community but may not be able to achieve full accessibility due to heritage assets status and therefore a considered pragmatic approach may be adopted.
    5. A riverside walk should be delivered along the River Stour from Great Cornbow to Rumbow. The implementation of this route may be in phases as and when redevelopment opportunities occur.
  2. Additionally, carriageway and river crossing points will be improved in the locations listed below that will help to improve pedestrian access and movement. Dudley Council will require that proposed development schemes contribute towards the delivery of these improvements where appropriate:
    1. Birmingham Street north of Great Cornbow/Bull Ring.
    2. Rumbow between Church Lane and Siviter Street.
    3. Linkage between Birmingham Street and Cobham Road/Centre Lane across the River Stour.
    4. Queensway/Summer Hill crossing point and ramped access and Laurel Lane/Pool Road connections to be improved in conjunction with the redevelopment of Pool Road Car Park opportunity site.
    5. Queensway/Grange Road junction to improve access to the southern stretch of the River Stour.

Justification

4.34 Within the Town Centre, routes are direct and well connected despite some routes having a poor streetscape. The Town Centre also benefits from having a number of pedestrianised areas which enable people to walk and cycle conveniently and quickly.

4.35 However, accessing the central area on foot or by cycle from the immediate surroundings is much less legible or direct. The River Stour and busy roads such as the A458 and A459 act as barriers to movement, in particular to the southern and eastern of the town. Crossing points at key junctions and subways are indirect, reduce the perception of safety and impede pedestrian and cyclist movement into the town. In some locations pedestrian routes are completely separated from other modes of movement and are poorly overlooked, vandalised, and have blind spots. Poor linkages have been identified where vehicle dominant roads create severance on pedestrian desire lines.

Figure 4.4: Transport and Movement Plan: Halesowen Town Centre

This plan shows the transport and movement plan for Halesowen Town Centre. There is a proposed walk/cycle improvement corridor along the A459 and a couple of points to show potential new bridges over the river stour to the east of the town centre.

Halesowen Town Inset Plan Area Site Allocations

4.36 Halesowen Town Inset Plan area (Figure 4.4) has identified five 'Opportunity Sites' where redevelopment and regeneration would provide benefits to the Town Centre. These represent mixed use sites, including residential development. The opportunity 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 use of its resources to kick start and progress projects which will have a significant impact and act as a catalyst for wider change.

4.37 In addition, there are two sites identified for residential development with the Halesowen Town Inset Plan area. These are identified within Policy DLP10 as part of the overall housing land supply as summarised below.

Table 4.1: Summary of Halesowen Allocations

SITE

MIXED USE

RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY (undiscounted figures and accounts for existing commitments-indicative and not a cap)

Opportunity Sites

Trinity Point (DLPHOS1) Comment

Yes

87 dwellings

Link House and Pioneer House (DLPHOS2) Comment

Yes

20 dwellings

Little Cornbow (DLPHOS3) Comment

Yes

70 dwellings

Fountain House (DLPHOS4) Comment

Yes

60 dwellings

Pool Road Cark Park (DLPHOS5) Comment

Yes

30 dwellings

Housing Allocations

Will Thorne House (DLPHH1) Comment

No

20 dwellings

Halesowen Police Station (DLPHH2) Comment

No

30 dwellings

4.38 A policy is provided for each Opportunity Site which identifies the acceptable uses. For these Opportunity Sites, key design principles are provided as part of the evidence base to the local plan. The design principles 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. They particularly reflect the heritage and character of Halesowen and demonstrate how the ambitions for these sites could be developed in a way that respects good design principles.

Trinity Point

4.39 This opportunity site is situated between New Road (A458) and High Street, in the north of the Town Centre inset plan area, within the Town Centre Core Area. The site is dominated by Trinity Point, a large office block which marks a gateway into the Town Centre and by the two storey 'High Street car park' which services the northern part of the town.

4.40 The site has important boundary edges which will need to be appropriately addressed in any redevelopment scheme. To the north is New Road, a key approach road to the Town Centre. To the east, down a steep gradient is the River Stour and Fingerpost/Rumbow Gardens. To the west of the site is the Grade II listed Ivy House, the Grade II listed George Inn, the High Street and the Grade I listed Church of St. John the Baptist. To the south is Church Lane, which is abruptly abutted by the car park and where the Grade II listed Whitefriars is located (one of the few surviving timber framed buildings in Halesowen) and the Locally Listed dwelling known as Hay Moat (No.10 Church Lane). The southern half of this opportunity site falls within an Archaeological Priory Area (APA) and the site is adjacent to the Halesowen Area of High Historic Townscape Value (AHHTV). Consideration will need to be given to the impact of any scheme on the setting and significance of these designated and non-designated heritage assets and on any identified views and vista. Any development proposals will be required to positively enhance these assets and the river corridor by virtue of design and layout. In utilising this opportunity, a green link should also be provided composed of amenity focused green infrastructure. Any development within this block should establish frontages to New Road and High Street and recognise the relationship to, and impact upon, Rumbow and Church Lane.

4.41 There is potential risk of flooding along the River Stour within the Halesowen Town Inset Area boundary. Therefore, where development is being proposed, Policies DLP45 and DLP46 and national planning guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework are applicable and the developer should seek further guidance from Dudley Council officers and the Environment Agency. Development alongside the River Stour should be set back 10m from the top of both bank slopes and applicants are required to submit site specific flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with National Planning Policy Framework.

Policy DLPHOS1 Halesowen Town Centre Opportunity Site: Trinity Point Comment

Acceptable Land Uses

  1. Class E- Commercial, Business and Service uses excluding uses falling within Class E (g) (ii) and (iii) uses in line with Policy DLP24.
  1. Residential developments (Class C3) with an indicative capacity of 87 dwellings, but this capacity may vary as part of any mixed-use development on the site.
  2. Local Community and Learning uses (class F1&F2).

Link House and Pioneer House

4.42 This Opportunity site is comprised of Link House, a five-storey office building with car parking to the rear, along with the site of former Pioneer house. The site is outside of the Town Centre Core Area and fronts the northern end of Birmingham Street car park and Rumbow.

4.43 Development proposals should provide a strong frontage to Birmingham Street and Rumbow. An active and attractive frontage onto the River Stour together with an enhanced pedestrian route along it will be required. Development should be set back from the River Stour and have due regard to flood risk. All development proposals need to be sensitive and responsive to the historic character and local distinctiveness and that site falls within an Archaeological Priory Area (APA).

4.44 Steep changes in topography, the route of the river and the existing urban form on this site all mean that access through this central area into the Town Centre from Tenterfields to the east of the River Stour is restricted and difficult. Provision of pedestrian access from the Tenterfields area is encouraged.

4.45 On the eastern side of the River Stour sits the Rumbow Works which provides valuable local employment and is expected to continue in its current use. Any redevelopment scheme will need to ensure that it does not adversely affect the operation of this employment use. Should the Rumbow Works site unexpectedly come forward in the future, it could form an appropriate extension to this development opportunity site and provision of a new east-west pedestrian access across the River Stour should be a high priority.

4.46 Where development is being proposed, Policies DLP45 and DLP46 and national planning guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework are applicable, and the developer should seek further guidance from the Council officers and the Environment Agency. Development alongside the River Stour should be set back 10m from the top of both bank slopes, and applicants are required to submit site specific flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with National Planning Policy Framework.

Policy DLPHOS2 Halesowen Town Centre Opportunity Site: Link House and Pioneer House Comment

Acceptable Land Uses

  1. Mixed Use Development including:
    1. Class E- Commercial, Business and Service uses, excluding uses falling within Class E (g) (ii) and (iii) uses.
    2. Residential developments (class C2/C3) with an indicative capacity of 20 dwellings, but this capacity may vary as part of any mixed-use developments on the site.

Little Cornbow

4.47 This Opportunity site is currently dominated by the Lifecentral church. Development in this area should provide active and attractive frontages onto areas of public space and pay regard to existing and potential linkages throughout the site. Cornbow is of particular significance as it is one of the original streets through the town centre and has great potential for improvement as a public space and key link into the town from southeast areas.

4.48 There is a major opportunity within this site to provide a strong frontage to Little Cornbow whilst retaining and enhancing the key route between Peckingham Street and Cornbow. Strong frontages should also be established along the riverside, together with an enhanced pedestrian route along it. All development proposals need to be sensitive and responsive to the historic character and local distinctiveness and that the site falls within an Archaeological Priory Area (APA).

4.49 Where development is being proposed, Policies DLP45 and DLP46 and national planning guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework are applicable, and the developer should seek further guidance from Dudley Council officers and the Environment Agency. Development alongside the River Stour should be set back 10m from the top of both bank slopes, and applicants are required to submit site specific flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with National Planning Policy Framework.

Policy DLPHOS3 Halesowen Town Centre Opportunity Site: Little Cornbow Comment

Acceptable Land Uses

  1. Mixed Use Development:
    1. Class E – Commercial, Business and service uses, excluding uses falling within Class E (g) (ii) and (iii) uses.
    2. Residential developments (Class C3) with an indicative capacity of 70 dwellings, but this capacity may vary as part of any mixed use developments on the site
    3. Local Community and Learning uses (F1 and F2).

Fountain House

4.50 Fountain House is a large office building which sits on the eastern bank of the River Stour located immediately adjacent to the Locally Listed Cornbow Bridge and Archaeological Priority Area (APA). It is largely unoccupied and has suffered from high and growing vacancy levels. This site should be put into more productive use through a change of use and/or redevelopment.

4.51 Combined with Development Opportunity Site 3 'Little Cornbow' there is an opportunity to significantly improve the quality of the built environment in this area, which will enhance the setting of the River Stour and establish a pedestrian route along the riverside, in accordance with Policy DLP54.

4.52 Where development is being proposed, Policies DLP45 and DLP46 and national planning guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework are applicable, and the developer should seek further guidance from Dudley Council officers and the Environment Agency. Development alongside the River Stour should be set back 10m from the top of both bank slopes, and applicants are required to submit site specific flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with National Planning Policy Framework.

Policy DLPHOS4 Halesowen Town Centre Opportunity Site: Fountain House Comment

Acceptable Land Uses

  1. Mixed use development including:
    1. Class E – Commercial, Business and service uses, excluding uses falling within Class E (g) (ii) and (iii) uses.
    2. Residential developments (Class C3) with an indicative capacity of 60 dwellings, but this capacity may vary as part of any mixed use developments on the site
    3. Local Community and Learning uses (F1 and F2).

Pool Road Car Park

4.53 The existing Pool Road Multi Storey Car Park is in need of investment and, as a whole, the buildings on this site currently present a negative gateway into the Town Centre Core Area and to the adjacent Area of High Historic Townscape Value (AHHTV). Redevelopment will improve the quality of the car parking facilities, enhance frontages to Hagley Road and Summer Hill, and the views into and out of the AHHTV, and improve the quality of the built environment. All development proposals need to be sensitive and responsive to the historic character and local distinctiveness and that the site falls within an Archaeological Priory Area (APA).

4.54 Levelling Up funding was secured in November 2023, to enable the council to work with Halesowen College to create a new college building in the town centre. This will provide vocational training programmes and adult education courses.

4.55 Pool Road car park, designated long and short stay, services the south side of the town and provides convenient parking for both the Leisure Centre and Cornbow Hall. Evidence demonstrates that there is a surplus of car parking available in the Town Centre, with ample short stay capacity available nearby at both Asda and Birmingham Street. Eroding some of this short stay surplus will enable a positive development to go forward for the overall benefit of the Town Centre. However, the loss of the long stay parking could affect the attractiveness of the town to investors and an element of long stay parking will therefore need to be re-provided for within the redevelopment of this site.

4.56 Where development is being proposed, Policies DLP45 and DLP46 and national planning guidance set out in the National Planning Policy Framework are applicable, and the developer should seek further guidance from Dudley Council officers and the Environment Agency. Development alongside the River Stour should be set back by 10m from the top of both bank slopes, and applicants are required to submit site specific flood risk assessments (FRAs) in accordance with National Planning Policy Framework.

Policy DLPHOS5 Halesowen Town Centre Opportunity Site: Pool Road Car Park Comment

Acceptable Land Uses

  1. Mixed use development including:
    1. Class E – Commercial, Business and service uses, excluding uses falling within Class E (g) (ii) and (iii) uses.
    2. Residential developments (Class C3) with an indicative capacity of 30 dwellings, but this capacity may vary as part of any mixed-use developments on the site
    3. Local Community and Learning uses (F1 and F2).

Evidence

  • 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)
  • Historic Landscape Characterisation for Halesowen
  • Historic Environment Record (HER)
  • National Design Guide
  • Historic England Good Practice Advice Notes (GPAs) and Historic England Advice Notes (HEANs)

Delivery

  • Historic Landscape Characterisation documents
  • 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).

Monitoring Indicators

Table 4.2: Halesowen Monitoring Indicators

Policy

Indicator

Target

DLP H1- Halesowen Town Centre Core Area

Number of applications approved within Town Centre Core Area for uses outside of acceptable uses (as set out in DLP24)

Target: 0

DLP H2- Education in Halesowen

No net loss of education facilities

Target:0

DLP H3- Urban Character and Appearance

Number of Planning Permissions contrary to the recommendations of the LPA Historic Environment or Urban Design officer.

Target: 0

DLP H4- Halesowen Town Design- Landmarks, Views, Vistas and Gateways

Number of Planning Permissions contrary to the recommendations of the LPA Historic Environment or Urban Design officer.

Target: 0

DLP H5- Public Realm in Halesowen

Percentage of relevant applications to include public realm improvements

Target: 100%

DLP H6- Landscape and Public Realm/Open Space

DLP H7- Conservation and Enhancement of Local Character and Distinctiveness in Halesowen

Number of Planning Permissions contrary to the recommendations of the LPA Historic Environment or Urban Design officer.

Target: 0

DLP H8- Access and Movement in Halesowen

Delivery of identified sustainable transport projects

In accordance with policy

Figure 4.5: Halesowen Inset Plan

This plan shows the Halesowen Inset Plan. It shows the Town Centre Core Area, the proposed town centre opportunity sites and the housing allocations. A list of these can be found in Table 4.1. Policy DLPH7 Conservation and Enhancement of Local Character and Distinctiveness in Halesowen provides more detail.

For instructions on how to use the system and make comments, please see our help guide.
back to top