Comment

Representation ID: 227

Received: 05/01/2024

Respondent: Dennis R Whittaker

I have lived in central Brier1ey Hill about five minutes walk from the High Street all 78 years of my life - so I know a bit about the place.
Therefore, my comments on Draft OLP Part 2 will be confined to Brierley Hill.
For each Policy, unless I state otherwise, assume that I have no substantial objections.
I have witnessed the decline of the Town due to neglect and am pleased that there is now investment in its refurbishment and regeneration.
I participated in the consultation for the Brierley Hill Area Action Plan. I considered, many of its aims overambitious and based more on wishful thinking than reality.
The general proposals in this new Plan are less ambitious but I feel that there is still an element of wishful thinking - particularly with respect to the amount of occupied Industrial/Employment land likely to be vacated for Housing.
I also see an over-emphasis on so-called sustainable modes of Transport which could lead to a failure to make adequate provision for private Cars. People are not going to regularly abandon in any significant number, the convenience, reliability, flexibility, security and comfort of their Cars for an inferior mode such as Public Transport - and Cycling will remain a minority pursuit.

Comment

Representation ID: 228

Received: 05/01/2024

Respondent: Dennis R Whittaker

Paragraph 4 starts by saying "Brierley Hill Strategic Centre should be accessible by a variety of means of transport, particularly walking, cycling and public transport."
It then says, "Proposals for commercial and business development that involve more than 500 sq m (gross) of floorspace within The Merry Hill Centre Core Area or within well-linked edge-of-centre locations to that core area," must produce evidence that provisions have been set out "for the enablement or enhancement of sustainable means of travel and integrated modes of transport" to and within the Centre "with a particular focus on the management of demand for car parking and car-borne traffic, including through car parking regimes"
Comments.:•
(1.) I would hope that "a variety of means of transport" includes private Cars which, in the real World, Cars are the means of transport chosen by most people- and for good reasons. It is not practical to lug bulky shopping Home on a Bus where space is limited- and Bicycles and walking are non-starters. This is particularly, but not exclusively, the case with weekly Supermarket shopping.
(2.) I have no objection as such to "enablement or enhancement of sustainable means of travel and integrated modes of transport" because it gives people a choice.
(3.) "The management of demand for car parking and car-borne traffic. including through car parking regimes" means using Car Parking charges to deter people from using their Cars. Free Car Parking has long been one of the main selling points for Merry Hill Centre. It is inevitable that the introduction of charges would deter some people from shopping in the Centre so often and thereby harm business. The degree of harm would depend on the level of charges which is probably why the Owners have adopted a phased approach.

Comment

Representation ID: 485

Received: 19/12/2023

Respondent: Brierley Hill Community Forum

VISION AND OBJECTIVES

Page 9 point B -Vision and Objectives
Night time economy is all very well, but the Plan needs to recognise the negative impact this can have on people who live adjacent to such uses given the growth of people living in flats above shops in our towns.
We do not feel that there is a need for more pubs in Brierley Hill, and some of the extended licencing hours for the existing pubs already cause issues for people who live in the High Street town centre.

Page 11 paragraph 1.9. Good to see the aspiration to link the Merry Hill centre in to the rest of the urban fabric.

Support

Representation ID: 503

Received: 22/12/2023

Respondent: Sovereign Centros

Agent: Williams Gallagher

Support the Strategic Centre Boundary and Town Centre Core Area boundaries as identified on the
Brierley Hill Strategic Centre Inset Policies Map. Query however as to why the Odeon cinema site is to be
excluded from the Core Area, noting it forms an intrinsic part of the Merry Hill complex and efforts have
been made to improve linkages between this site and the wider shopping centre complex (note recent
applications for full planning permission and advertisement consent which relate specifically to this
objective (Applications Refs: P23/0234 and P23/0235 respectively).
Support Bullet 3 of the draft Policy which makes clear that the diversification and re-purposing of Brierley
Hill Strategic 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 Strategic
Centre and in accordance with draft Policy DLP24 (note our comments above in respect of this draft
Policy).
Allied to the above, we note and welcome the findings of the Black Country Centres Study which
concluded that “although retail will remain a key part of their overall offer, vitality and viability, helping to
generate trips, footfall and spend, it is critical that the strategic policies in the Black Country Plan are
supported by policies and strategies developed for each centre (such as through tier-two plans) to help
promote greater flexibility and diversity, so that they can respond more effectively and rapidly to future
trends”.

Support

Representation ID: 508

Received: 22/12/2023

Respondent: Sovereign Centros

Agent: Williams Gallagher

DLP Part 1 - Table 5.2
Support in principle for the vision for Brierly Hill Strategic Centre 2041, including the aspiration for the Centre to be more than a shopping destination, including benefiting from a revitalised night-time economy and family orientated leisure facilities and having a greater residential population.

Object

Representation ID: 542

Received: 22/12/2023

Respondent: Goldfinch Town Planning Services (West Midlands)

Significant and urgent town centre regeneration interventions are required along Brierley Hill High Street to prevent further levels of decline within this important shopping centre. This will be challenging given the severe economic recession and cost-of-living crisis currently affecting this area.

Significant and urgent town centre regeneration interventions are required along Brierley Hill Waterfront in order to prevent further levels of decline within this important area. This will be challenging given the severe economic recession and cost-of-living crisis currently affecting this area. The Council should explore planning policy measures to help boost office provision and the night time economy within the Brierley Hill Waterfront in order to help revitalise the waterfront and help support its future vitality and viability.

Object

Representation ID: 741

Received: 21/12/2023

Respondent: Police Crime Commissioner for West Midlands (PCCWM)

Agent: Tyler Parkes

By way of introduction to the PCCWM observations on Part 2, it might be helpful to summarise
the current intentions regarding the location of WMP premises within Dudley Borough. The new
Police HQ for the borough will be provided at Castlegate. This will replace Brierley Hill, Dudley St
James' Road and Halesowen facilities. The shared facility (with West Midlands Fire & Rescue
Service) at Sedgeley will be retained. Neighbourhood Teams currently located in Brierley Hill (also
serving Lye and Stourbridge) and Halesowen will be relocated locally.
Vision for Brierley Hill, the PCCWM suggests the following addition, ‘a) having strong, resilient,
safe and secure and thriving communities with enhanced health and well-being, including access
to more cultural, leisure and community facilities. (Suggested changes in bold and underlined).
[Objection]
On paragraph 1.9 which deals with design challenges, the PCCWM suggests an additional bullet
point, ‘Ensure that the principles of Secured by Design are integral to new development and
improvements to the public realm’ (Suggested changes in bold and underlined). [Objection]

Comment

Representation ID: 768

Received: 22/12/2023

Respondent: Canal and River Trust

Welcomes reference to canals throughout Brierley Hill chapter.