Draft Black Country Plan

Object

Representation ID: 22602

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: A&J Mucklow (Investments) Ltd

Agent: Peacock and Smith

COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF A&J MUCKLOW INVESTMENTS TO THE DRAFT BLACK COUNTRY PLAN

We act on behalf of our client A&J Mucklow (Investments) Ltd who are significant property owners in Halesowen and the wider area currently owning c.£100m of investments. As long-term developers of both residential and commercial developments since the 1930s, A&J Mucklow welcome the aspirations and ambitions for more sustained growth and investment to strengthen Halesowen and the wider area further.
Our clients also welcome the opportunity to comment on the emerging Draft Black Country Plan and wish to be
kept informed with the progress of the Plan.
Our clients own land at Shenstone Trading Estate on Bromsgrove Road, Halesowen and have recently received pre-application advice for a proposed mixed-use scheme including a foodstore and employment uses.
The site is occupied but the buildings are dated and our client wishes to take the opportunity to rejuvenate the site to the benefit of the immediate and wider area whilst having regard to the objectives of the emerging Local Plan.

The site is allocated as a Strategic High Quality Employment Area and is located within the Coombswood to Halesowen Regeneration Corridor. The Policies contained within the emerging Local Plan seek to retain such sites for employment uses but our client is seeking more flexibility in the policy to adapt to the increasingly
changing world we’re living in.

For example, when looking at employment policies; ‘allowing employment generating uses or a mixed-use
employment led scheme’ on an allocated employment site, will retain the importance of the employment area
whilst allowing the policy to be adaptable to the specific set of circumstances.

This will ensure good sites are available and suitable and are developed for employment purposes. Job creation and the changing types of employment should also be considered when looking at proposals on employment sites.

With regards to housing numbers increasing over the Plan period, consideration must also be given to the local
services and amenities available to serve the ‘new’ residents given the Plan period extends to 2039. No
expansion of any of the defined town centres has been identified in the emerging Local Plan, nor have any new
sites been identified for new convenience retail locations.

Our client’s site is located to the north east of Halesowen Town Centre and offers a unique opportunity for the
expansion of the town centre and a natural progression to the north, allowing for a strong retail anchor at either
end of the centre – Cornbow Shopping Centre to the west and a new foodstore anchor to the north.

We agree with the recommendation that Halesowen remains a Town Centre in the hierarchy of centres, given
its vitality and viability. However, we disagree with the conclusion that the “town centre boundary for Halesowen
should not be amended as the existing road boundaries provide a physical barrier to the centre’s boundaries”.
The Local Plan should be more visionary and bolder in its thinking and should consider alternative options such
as a link or crossing. On the ground, the ‘collar’ stops the flow of development and results in a ‘zoned’ area with
a town centre zone, a residential zone and an employment zone with no or little integration and movement between the three land uses.

By making policies more flexible, new development can change with the forever adapting world and reduce the
dominance of the car. Improved linkages to and from the town centre, surrounding residential streets and
employment areas with the town centre and the river valley to the west and Leasowes Park to the east would
be a benefit for all living and working in the area. The draft Local Plan can afford to be more forward thinking
and ambitious in this regard given the Plan period extends to 2039.

Summary

This submission supports the Council’s objectives for more housing, more employment and further development and investment in the Black Country. It seeks flexibility in the employment policies and more ambition when looking at town centres in these evolving times and how they can expand and diversify further.

We thank you for the opportunity to submit comments in relation to the emerging Draft Local Plan and look
forward to seeing how the Plan advances. Should you have any questions in relation to this submission, please
do not hesitate to contact me on [direct line given] or by email at [direct email address given]

Object

Representation ID: 22603

Received: 07/10/2021

Respondent: A&J Mucklow (Investments) Ltd

Agent: Peacock and Smith

COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF A&J MUCKLOW INVESTMENTS TO THE DRAFT BLACK COUNTRY PLAN

We act on behalf of our client A&J Mucklow (Investments) Ltd who are significant property owners in Halesowen and the wider area currently owning c.£100m of investments. As long-term developers of both residential and commercial developments since the 1930s, A&J Mucklow welcome the aspirations and ambitions for more sustained growth and investment to strengthen Halesowen and the wider area further.
Our clients also welcome the opportunity to comment on the emerging Draft Black Country Plan and wish to be
kept informed with the progress of the Plan.
Our clients own land at Shenstone Trading Estate on Bromsgrove Road, Halesowen and have recently received pre-application advice for a proposed mixed-use scheme including a foodstore and employment uses.
The site is occupied but the buildings are dated and our client wishes to take the opportunity to rejuvenate the site to the benefit of the immediate and wider area whilst having regard to the objectives of the emerging Local Plan.

The site is allocated as a Strategic High Quality Employment Area and is located within the Coombswood to Halesowen Regeneration Corridor. The Policies contained within the emerging Local Plan seek to retain such sites for employment uses but our client is seeking more flexibility in the policy to adapt to the increasingly
changing world we’re living in.

For example, when looking at employment policies; ‘allowing employment generating uses or a mixed-use
employment led scheme’ on an allocated employment site, will retain the importance of the employment area
whilst allowing the policy to be adaptable to the specific set of circumstances.

This will ensure good sites are available and suitable and are developed for employment purposes. Job creation and the changing types of employment should also be considered when looking at proposals on employment sites.

With regards to housing numbers increasing over the Plan period, consideration must also be given to the local
services and amenities available to serve the ‘new’ residents given the Plan period extends to 2039. No
expansion of any of the defined town centres has been identified in the emerging Local Plan, nor have any new
sites been identified for new convenience retail locations.

Our client’s site is located to the north east of Halesowen Town Centre and offers a unique opportunity for the
expansion of the town centre and a natural progression to the north, allowing for a strong retail anchor at either
end of the centre – Cornbow Shopping Centre to the west and a new foodstore anchor to the north.

We agree with the recommendation that Halesowen remains a Town Centre in the hierarchy of centres, given
its vitality and viability. However, we disagree with the conclusion that the “town centre boundary for Halesowen
should not be amended as the existing road boundaries provide a physical barrier to the centre’s boundaries”.
The Local Plan should be more visionary and bolder in its thinking and should consider alternative options such
as a link or crossing. On the ground, the ‘collar’ stops the flow of development and results in a ‘zoned’ area with
a town centre zone, a residential zone and an employment zone with no or little integration and movement between the three land uses.

By making policies more flexible, new development can change with the forever adapting world and reduce the
dominance of the car. Improved linkages to and from the town centre, surrounding residential streets and
employment areas with the town centre and the river valley to the west and Leasowes Park to the east would
be a benefit for all living and working in the area. The draft Local Plan can afford to be more forward thinking
and ambitious in this regard given the Plan period extends to 2039.

Summary

This submission supports the Council’s objectives for more housing, more employment and further development and investment in the Black Country. It seeks flexibility in the employment policies and more ambition when looking at town centres in these evolving times and how they can expand and diversify further.

We thank you for the opportunity to submit comments in relation to the emerging Draft Local Plan and look
forward to seeing how the Plan advances. Should you have any questions in relation to this submission, please
do not hesitate to contact me on [direct line given] or by email at [direct email address given]