Planning news
Walsall ready to agree to regional strategy
Walsall Council, in partnership Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, are preparing to publish the Black Country Joint Core Strategy and then present the plan to the Secretary of State for approval. The strategy maps out the future of development in the region between now and 2026.
It is hoped that a joint approach means that a common set of strategic policies can be applied consistently across the four authorities. It also offers economies by allowing the sharing of limited staff resources, particularly where specific expertise has been required in areas such as retail and waste policies, and sharing funding support from consultancy work.
The authorities have agreed to work together to produce the plan in partnership with the community and other key organisations such as voluntary and private sector bodies and businesses. Linked to the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy, the JCS will not only deal with land use, but will also consider environmental, economic and social issues. The five key strategies are Housing, the Economy, Employment and Centres, Transportation and Accessibility, Environmental Infrastructure and Waste and Minerals.
Walsall has been designated as one of four Strategic Centres along with Brierley Hill, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. The plan also identifies four Regeneration Corridors within the borough. These are:-
Bloxwich – Birchills – Bescot
Brownhills,
Loxdale – Moxley
Wednesfield – Willenhall – Darlaston (which is shared with Wolverhampton)
The Strategic Centres will be the focus of new shopping, office, leisure and cultural development, and mixed use developments with new homes built at high densities. It is hoped that the Regeneration Corridors will provide high quality employment.
The Bloxwich – Birchills – Bescot corridor will see 1645 new homes built and the re-location of Bloxwich station from Croxdene Avenue to Croxstalls Road. The re-opening of the Walsall to Stourbridge railway line might lead to the building of new railway stations at Leamore and Pleck.
In Brownhills, 455 new homes will be built and the re-opening of the Walsall to Lichfield line could see new stations at Pelsall and Brownhills.
The Loxdale – Moxley proposals includes improvements to George Rose Park as part of the expansion of the Darlaston Grace Academy. However, the £300,000 earmarked for the improvements was withdrawn just a day after Walsall Council Development Control Committee rejected plans for the controversial school to annex over half the park.
The Wednesfield – Willenhall – Darlaston corridor in partnership with Wolverhampton will see 1,575 new houses with the re-introduction of the direct Walsall to Wolverhampton rail service with the possibility of new stations at Willenhall and Darlaston.
A formal public consultation period following publication of the strategy is expected to start on 30 November 2009 and run until 15 January 2010. The JCS is to be considered by Cabinet next Wednesday and then by full Council on 10 January 2010. Dependent on the outcome of this consultation period and the decisions of the four local authorities, the JCS will then be submitted to the Secretary of State.
A report to be submitted to Cabinet states: “There is a risk that the policies of the JCS are found unsound following the Examination in Public. This would result in the need to repeat all or part of the preparation process. If the JCS is adopted, there is a risk that the policies may not achieve the urban renaissance they propose. In particular, the housing numbers and amounts of new and improved employment land proposed may prove to be undeliverable, and existing employment may be lost. Unsuitable policies may also result in other significant adverse impact on the environment of the area, and the quality of life of residents.”