Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan

(1) Regeneration Areas

3.20 Sandwell is committed to the regeneration of its towns and employment areas and has adopted a Regeneration Strategy^[26] that sets out exactly how this will be achieved. The strategy contains a vision for this process, set out below:

Taken from SANDWELL REGENERATION STRATEGY March 2022-2027

3.21 Policy SDS2 sets out the strategic approach for Sandwell's economic and regenerative growth. More detailed policy guidance on the role of West Bromwich and its importance to Sandwell's economic, social and regeneration activities can be found in Chapter 10 of the SLP.

Justification

3.22 The re-energising and repurposing of West Bromwich is of fundamental importance to the regeneration of Sandwell and the wider Black Country. It is one of the main drivers of the Black Country's economy and supports one of the main hubs of the sub-regional transport network. It is a sustainable location and is well-placed to provide the community with easy access to comparison shopping, leisure, entertainment and cultural facilities and office-based employment.

3.23 Regarding the rest of Sandwell, much of the growth and proposed regeneration taking place up to 2041 will be concentrated around the transportation network (including in West Bromwich and locations within regeneration areas), providing an opportunity to enhance both sustainability and viability. Promoting the distinctive strengths and unique opportunities provided by West Bromwich will also help to encourage investment.

3.24 The regeneration areas broadly reflect the distribution of employment land across Sandwell and will accommodate most of its manufacturing and logistics businesses and jobs. The backbone of this network is a system of sustainable transport routes (including rail, metro, bus and for walking and cycling) and the extensive canal system. The key characteristics of the regeneration areas are as follows:

1. they are recognised as priority locations for existing or programmed multi-agency public sector intervention;
2. they contain existing or programmed multi-modal transport infrastructure;
3. they include clusters of housing / employment development opportunities providing at least 2,581 homes (discounted, these sites are already included in the supply detailed in Policy SHO1) and 600 ha of strategic and local employment areas.

3.25 The regeneration areas represent an update of the network of Regeneration Corridors identified in the 2011 Core Strategy. These Regeneration Corridors served the Black Country by providing a clear focus for concerted intervention and growth. The SLP has taken the opportunity to review the Regeneration Corridors in the light of more up-to-date information on the deliverability of previously allocated development opportunities, changing infrastructure priorities and reflecting where planned investment and growth has already taken place.

3.26 The strategy for the regeneration areas reflects two key issues arising from the evidence base – firstly, the need to provide for economic growth through the protection and enhancement of sustainable employment land and premises; and secondly, delivering housing growth through the release of poor quality and underused land to support the ongoing regeneration of Sandwell.

3.27 Achieving the right balance of jobs and housing by 2041 is a key aim of the SLP. Sandwell's annual Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the Black Country Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA) and the Black Country Employment Area Review (BEAR) all provide key evidence on demand and supply of employment land to 2041 and this work has directly informed the employment land and housing allocations in this Plan.

Regeneration Areas

Figure 3 - Regeneration Areas in Sandwell

3.28 The following sections set out in more detail the areas identified in the policy and should be read in conjunction with the relevant sections in the Centres chapter and Chapter 10 (West Bromwich).

WEST BROMWICH AND CARTERS GREEN

3.29 West Bromwich is the strategic centre of Sandwell and as such is the focus for major investment opportunities for retail, commercial, leisure and educational uses.

3.30 Carters Green lies to the northwest of the central core and acts very much as a separate retail centre. Apart from Lidl supermarket centrally located within Carters Green, the shops are predominantly independents providing a wide range of goods, especially European and world foods. To the rear of the main high street units lie varied uses including residential areas, places of worship and commercial operations.

3.31 The Carters Green Development Framework^[27] sets out an overarching vision for the opportunities that will help in the transformational change in this area, which allows the centre to continue to operate independently of West Bromwich Town Centre, but which allows a natural link to the town, picking up the aspirations and vision from the West Bromwich Masterplan. The Development Framework identifies key priority opportunity sites that will be the subject of future funding bids, investing in the development for new residential units on currently underused sites. The Framework and individual site details focus on providing good quality new homes with new public realm, urban greening and improved linkages through the area.

(3) DUDLEY PORT AND TIPTON

3.32 Dudley Port and Tipton Regeneration Area comprises a mix of both residential and employment uses, dissected by the Birmingham Canal and Rail line. The area contains several areas of greenspace, including the extensive Sheepwash Nature Reserve and Victoria Park. Access to and through the area is provided by both the canal and rail links, with Tipton and Dudley Port Railway Stations lying within the area. The canal also links this whole area with the green spaces, through to Tipton Town Centre and Dudley. In 2023 following a bid to the Levelling Up Fund, Tipton was awarded £20m capital funding from the Government to regenerate sites within the town centre.

3.33 Recent years have seen very little investment and development within the area. There have been very few residential sites brought forward and investment in industrial development has been limited. Owen Street District Centre, often referred to as Tipton Town Centre, has seen a steady decline in the take up of units, resulting in vacancies and underutilised sites. The funding bid aimed to address several underutilised and poor quality residential and commercial premises and, through acquisition of the freehold and construction of new residential and commercial units, help to deliver new high quality residential and commercial premises to support redevelopment of the town centre.

3.34 The funding is intended to be the catalyst for wider investment opportunities within this regeneration corridor. Further employment development should be directed towards Coneygre and Vaughan Trading Estate. Whilst these sites were identified for residential development in the last Local Plan, this has not occurred. Both sites have instead delivered further employment development, indicating a need for further investment in this sector. Residential development is anticipated at Rattlechain, south of Sheepwash Nature Reserve. This would see the remediation of a long-standing problematic and heavily contaminated site, with it brought back into more efficient use and being able to assist in meeting the shortfall in housing numbers. The vision for the Dudley Port area is directed by a Garden City approach and principles, working with the area's existing attributes, namely the green space, canals and linkages.

3.35 The construction of the Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill will improve accessibility, providing sustainable modes of transport and link Sandwell to Dudley for those at work or visiting for leisure or recreation. Whilst much of the investment will be focussed on Dudley once completed, there may be opportunities along the Sandwell link for investment and regeneration at a smaller scale. There is an opportunity for a link to HS2 with the construction of the Interchange at Dudley Port railway station.

3.36 Further opportunities exist to build upon the existing infrastructure, making the canals and greenspace a destination, linking to wider attractions such as the Dudley Canal Trust, Black Country Museum and Dudley Zoo, and joining up with Tipton High Street.

(1) SMETHWICK

3.37 The Smethwick corridor encompasses a wide range of uses including residential, employment, education, health, retail and commercial. Lying to the southeast of the borough, the area has historic links to the industrial revolution with the Soho Foundry near Black Patch and contains several heritage structures, listed buildings and conservation areas throughout the corridor. Its proximity to Birmingham has resulted in close cross-boundary working with Birmingham City Council and other partners, culminating in the Smethwick to Birmingham Corridor Framework. The Framework sets out a vision and principles for bringing forward development on opportunity sites within the area, focussing on the delivery of good quality housing, linked to quality open spaces and the canal, and setting out a joined-up transport strategy that will contribute to the formation of a healthy and sustainable community.

3.38 The area has seen investment in recent years with new housing at Windmill Eye and Brindley 2, and the construction of the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital at Grove Lane that will serve Sandwell and West Birmingham. Funding has recently been granted from the Towns Fund to bring forward residential development at Grove Lane and Rolfe Street; both areas have been the subject of recently approved Masterplans to help guide development. Further funding will deliver improved walking and cycling routes linking Smethwick Galton Bridge to the new hospital and further afield into Birmingham City Centre and other areas of Sandwell.

3.39 However, due to the extensive size of the area and its fragmented ownerships, comprehensive development has not been forthcoming overall. The Towns Fund grants will act as a catalyst to attract further funding and private sector interest for regeneration on many of the vacant and underutilised sites across the corridor. The area surrounding the hospital is earmarked for housing, providing canalside living and has easy access to public transport routes. New social infrastructure will also feature within this area, to help meet the needs of the new residents. Grove Lane and Rolfe Street will receive most of the investment for new housing.

3.40 Opportunities exist to invest in the historic Soho Foundry and surrounding area, creating a mixed-use facility that will attract visitors and revitalise this part of the borough. The area has also been identified as a location for waste operators, which could detract from its amenity; the challenge will be to improve the negative environmental impacts that generally accompany these operations.

3.41 Investment in employment should be concentrated to the north of this Regeneration Corridor, around Middlemore Lane and Popes Lane, and to the west near Dartmouth Road, with its prime links to Junction 1 of the M5. Smethwick High Street will remain as the focus for retail, commercial, cultural and health facilities.

WEDNESBURY

3.42 This regeneration area focuses on Wednesbury Town Centre, moving south towards the industrial area of Hill Top and encompassing the area submitted to Government as Sandwell's Levelling Up Zone. Wednesbury is a traditional market town and like many other similar places, has suffered a decline in the take-up of units in recent years. Investment has recently been secured as part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zone fund, with an injection of £3.6m to reintroduce a relocated marketplace in the centre of the town, new public realm works and shopfront improvements within the Conservation Area. However there remain several empty units and vacant sites available for redevelopment but there has been little developer interest.

3.43 Hill Top is identified as a focus for employment uses. Existing investment in the nearby Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill would make this area attractive for further investment due to the high demand for high quality employment land. However, access remains problematic due to the area's existing infrastructure and would require significant funds to overcome.

3.44 Further south, the regeneration area encompasses land around Great Bridge town centre. Promotion of this area for mixed uses including the introduction of more residential development would inject additional vitality into the town, assist in delivering new homes to meet housing targets and repurpose underutilised land for more efficient uses.

(1) Table 4 - Summary of regeneration projects