BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE Wolverhampton Bilston High Street Link Development Brief December 2009 BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE Wolverhampton Bilston High Street Link Development Brief Adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document on January 29th 2010 Wolverhampton City Council BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON ContentsHeading Page 1 Introduction 1 2 Policy Context 5 3 Background and Context 9 4 The Site and its Surroundings 10 5 Historical Development 12 6 Archaeological Implications 15 7 Form of the Development 16 8 Transportation, Access and Parking 18 9 Sustainability 19 10 Ground Conditions 20 11 Sustainability Matrix 21 12 Plans 25 13 Who to Contact 30 14 Appendix A 31 BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON 1 Introduction The purpose of this development brief is to direction, across the Black Country Route and outline the objectives of the city council and between the proposed new Bilston Leisure Advantage West Midlands in bringing forward Centre and the Primary and Community Care the site shown on Plan 1 (page 25) which will Centre. Both buildings will have their main form the northern end of the High Street link. entrances off the boulevard. This link will form a prestigious pedestrian route between the proposed Urban Village Uses of the ground floor of the two new-build development south of the Black Country Route blocks will need to provide active frontages and and the heart of the Town Centre to support will fall within the following Use Classes (as and enhance the economic vitality of the main defined in the Town and Country Planning (Use retail and commercial centre. The brief is also Classes) Order 1987 and its subsequent intended to set out the form of development amendments): A1, A2 and A3 with either required, identify any constraints and generally residential or office accommodation on first and ensure that the proposals are deliverable. The second floors. document shall be used both as a planning and marketing tool. Parts of the site are currently (December 2009) occupied by buildings (details of which are set The site in its current form is shown in figure 1 out in section 4) and the council, at a meeting (page 2) and this shows clearly a number of of Cabinet on December 5th 2007, resolved to issues, particularly in relation to poor quality proceed to the making of a compulsory views and indirect access. In contrast, the purchase order, in the event that the land proposals shown in figure 2 (page 3) cannot be acquired by voluntary agreement, demonstrate how the proposed form of to acquire private interests in the buildings and development, expanded on in section 7, areas of the site where ownership is currently successfully deals with these problems and unknown. provides redevelopment opportunities which will assist in the successful regeneration of the Furthermore, the production of this brief is Town Centre. intended to demonstrate, should the need arise by way of a Public Inquiry, that there is no The aim of the council is to bring forward the planning impediment to the development and conditions to create a high quality sustainable that the acquisition of private interests within development which is both safe and pleasant the site is unquestionably in the public interest. for communities to use and where residents, employees and visitors can enjoy an improved As such, the Supplementary Planning quality of life and economic opportunities. Document is intended to support the case the council is making to the Secretary of State that In brief, the proposals involve the acquisition there is a compelling case for the confirmation and demolition of a block of High Street of the compulsory purchase order. Indeed, this properties and the construction of two new document will form the basis of the council’s buildings built approximately at right angles to Statement of Reasons to support the the High Street fronting onto a high quality compulsory purchase order process. pedestrian route. This route leads in a southerly 1 BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON Introduction Figure 1: Existing constraints BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON 2 Introduction Figure 2: Proposed form of development (schematic) 3 BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON Introduction The site is already covered by the existing The principal reasons for preparing a outline planning consent (05/1892) which Development Brief for this site are therefore: Planning Committee resolved to grant on March 14 2006 and which is subject only to the • To set out in an unambiguous way the signing of the s106 Agreement, this having vision for the site. been delayed by the selection of a lead • To identify the principal opportunities and developer for the Urban Village. The resolution constraints which exist. to grant consent is attached as Appendix A of this document. • To provide information regarding the potential uses which would be appropriate. The land required for the development of the • To give information on existing ownerships, wider urban village site is now within the uses and other rights affecting the site. ownership of either the council or Advantage West Midlands and a legal agreement is in place • To provide an overall context for the between these two organisations governing the development site including potential future delivery of the project. This follows the phases. confirmation of a previous compulsory purchase • To demonstrate that there are no order which principally covered areas of the site substantive planning impediments to used for scrapyards development and to demonstrate that and other parcels of land in unknown the development will contribute to the ownership. promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental The council and Advantage West Midlands well-being of the area. have now selected a lead developer for the main Urban Village development, Places for People Ltd. For the avoidance of doubt, the lead developer will be responsible for the delivery of the site marked “Lead Developer”, the public sector for the delivery of the sites marked as “Plot A” and BSF (Building Schools for the Future) and a developer, yet to be appointed, will build out the site which is the subject of this brief, marked on the plan as “Plot P” (i.e. the High Street Link), all shown on Plan 2 (page 26). BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON 4 2 Policy Context The council is of the view that the proposals In terms of PPS6 the proposals are in contained within this draft development brief accordance with the general presumption that are entirely consistent with national, regional growth and change within existing centres and local planning policy. should be accommodated by more efficient use of land and buildings (PPS6 2.4) National Planning Policy Furthermore, this should be achieved by policies At a national level the Government’s Planning which encourage well designed, Policy Statement 1 (PPS1) “Delivering and, where appropriate, higher-density, Sustainable Development”, Planning Policy multi-storey development within and around Statement 6 (PPS6) “Planning for Town existing centres, including the promotion of Centres” and Planning Policy Guidance 13 mixed-use development and mixed use areas (PPG13) “Transport” are considered to be the and that residential or office development most relevant. should be encouraged as appropriate uses above ground floor retail…within centres. PPS1 states that local authorities have a role (PPS6 2.20/2.21) (under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004) in facilitating and promoting the This development brief is part of a series of pro- implementation of good quality active measures to bring about positive change development and that planning is a tool for within the existing Bilston Town Centre. It is local authorities to use in establishing and entirely consistent with the approach advocated taking forward the vision for their areas. which encourages local authorities to consider the scope for effective site assembly using The proposals contained in this development their compulsory purchase powers, to ensure brief aim to ensure the delivery of a scheme that suitable sites within or on the edge-of- which is in accordance with the general centres are brought forward for approach and principles of sustainable development, including sites that are under development. In particular, it has the aim of utilised, such as car parks and single storey promoting urban regeneration to improve the buildings, which could be redeveloped for well being of communities, improve facilities, multistorey, mixed-use development. (PPS6 promote high quality and safe development 2.52) and create new opportunities for the people living in those communities. Policies should promote mixed use developments for locations that allow the creation of linkages between different uses and can thereby create more vibrant places (PPS1 27(ii)) 5 BILSTON URBAN VILLAGE - WOLVERHAMPTON Policy Context The proposals contained within this draft Specifically, the document looks forward to a development brief are also entirely in region where accordance with PPG13 Transport. The guidance refers to actively managing the Urban renaissance is successfully being pattern of urban growth to make the fullest achieved; use of public transport, and focus major and generators of travel demand in city, town and district centres. (PPG13 6.1) Which is recognised for its distinctive, high quality natural and built environment. Under “Key Sites” the guidance states that: Local authorities should seek to make In Chapter 4 of the RSS, Urban Renaissance, maximum