Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan
Development in West Bromwich
10.30 The Centres Study undertaken for the BCP and its addendums were informed by a Household Survey that identified changes in shopping patterns, especially the continued growth of online shopping. The health checks recognised that West Bromwich is facing several challenges – particularly in relation to relatively high vacancy rates.
10.31 The commercial market across all sectors, but particularly affecting the traditional High Street, has materially evolved and changed.
Policy SWB2 – Development in West Bromwich
- It is a priority for West Bromwich to serve identified housing and employment growth aspirations (Policy SDS1, Policy SDS2). The diversification of West Bromwich to provide a re-purposed, well-balanced mix of appropriate uses will be supported, in particular:
- Residential provision will be maximised, to increase and strengthen communities, with indicative housing capacity identified by the West Bromwich Masterplan and West Bromwich Inset, providing a minimum of 1,162 new homes in the strategic centre by 2041.
- Most new homes will be built at very high densities (Policy SHO3, Table 5) and as part of mixed-use developments where suitable, with additional residential use helping to attract investment and promoting the vitality of the centre.
- Complementary uses, particularly community, leisure, health and education use (Policy SDS5, Policy SDM9).
- Large-scale proposals to serve wider catchment areas should be focussed in West Bromwich to maximise linked trips, promote the use of sustainable modes of transport and support regeneration.
Retail
- Existing convenience and comparison retail provision will be protected and appropriate new development for these uses supported, to meet both local shopping needs and large-scale provision serving the wider catchment; this should be focused on re-purposing vacant floorspace and re-using existing sites within the centre in the first instance.
Leisure
- Leisure uses, especially large-scale public and commercial facilities such as cinemas, hotels, and a wide range of high-quality family venues and activities, will be supported where they help to diversify the centre, encourage linked trips and enhance the evening economy and visitor experience
Office
- Office provision will be supported, as West Bromwich is an important location for such employment. Future demand will be market-led; suitable sites are identified in the Masterplan.
- Proposals in edge-of-centre and / or out-of-centre locations must meet the relevant requirements set out in Policy SCE6.
Sustainability
- West Bromwich is a highly sustainable focus for service provision; it is a priority to ensure high quality public realm and standards of design are delivered and supported through environmental policies to deliver the aims and objectives in the Masterplan.
Accessibility
- Proposals for commercial and business development that involve more than 500m2 (gross) of floorspace within the primary shopping areas of the centre and well-linked edge-of-centre locations should provide a travel plan.
Justification
10.32 A more pragmatic and flexible approach needs to be undertaken in addressing the future growth of West Bromwich, which does not necessarily place sole emphasis on the retail sector. Rather, this approach allows for greater emphasis on services, communal or civic uses, and incorporates qualitative enhancements to the existing provision. It also supports a mix of uses in relation to new development, including consideration for different types including the concurrent[175], meanwhile[176] and co-operative uses of units. This means it is essential to provide appropriate flexibility to enable the centre to diversify and be re-purposed to ensure its future vitality and viability is maintained and enhanced. This includes prioritising high-quality public realm including the provision of high-quality open spaces, green infrastructure, pedestrian and cycle networks and electric vehicle charging points.
10.33 Current evidence shows there is no capacity to support additional retail and office floorspace; it would not therefore be appropriate to include specific formal targets for different uses in policy except where indicated by the West Bromwich Masterplan.
10.34 Planning decisions should be informed by the latest available evidence, and the Council will seek to re-model capacity, particularly for retail, periodically in the future. The emphasis therefore is on the consolidation of core areas as opposed to expansion or identifying larger comprehensive development at in-centre or edge-of-centre sites, with any future potential for new floorspace likely to be met through infill development, reuse / reconfiguration of vacant units, change of use applications and / or extensions to existing stores,
10.35 It is important that any new large-scale commercial and public leisure provision is focussed in West Bromwich, to encourage linked trips, enhance the evening economy and diversify the experiential nature of the centre.
10.36 Changing working patterns, including an increase in agile and flexible working, means that future office environments are likely to be configured differently. Future office provision is likely to be predominantly market-led. West Bromwich remains an important place of work, with office workers making a positive contribution towards ensuring vitality and viability.
10.37 The Masterplan and West Bromwich inset plan identify potential office sites, particularly as part of mixed-use development. This will ensure sites are available for office development when demand emerges whilst ensuring other appropriate uses can also come forward.
10.38 City living and residential development in centres is likely to be a growth area over the plan period and will make a positive contribution to regeneration, particularly as a part of mixed-use development and upper floor living. Residential provision should therefore be maximised to facilitate the centre as important places to live, supporting a resident population and local service provision. Planning decisions will be informed by the indicative residential locations in the Masterplan and Inset allocations; the principles of good urban design must be applied through all schemes.
10.39 Housing and employment allocations will be served by the existing network of centres. The fragility of centres and the challenges in ensuring their vitality and viability means it is important to have robust tests for new proposals within 300m of a relevant boundary, as set out in Policy SCE6.
10.40 West Bromwich is accessible by a variety of means of transport, particularly walking, cycling, the Metro and buses. Relevant in-centre and edge-of-centre development will contribute to sustainability and encourage a modal shift in transport towards public transport, cycling and walking and reduce the need to travel.
10.41 The strategic centre boundary is identified on the Policies Map. It is used for determining what is in and out-of-scope in terms of proposals.
[175] Concurrent uses - a building may be in several different uses concurrently or be used for different uses at different times of the day
[176] Meanwhile uses - a site is utilised for a duration of time before it is turned into a more permanent end state, taking advantage of a short window of opportunity