On 2nd September Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership received a presentation on how the drawing up of new guidelines for Brierley Hill. View the presentation below. If you want to take part in the consultation they you can do so by going to the website:
http://www.dudley.gov.uk/environment–planning/planning/local-development-framework/bhill-urb-des
Power Point Presentation – 021092010
Category: Town Centre Partnership
Work on Brierley Hill’s new college set to commence
Work on Stourbridge College’s new creative industries campus, set in the heart of Brierley Hill will be commencing on 23rd August. The college will bring brand new arts and digital based courses to Brierley Hill and replace the outdated Longlands campus in Stourbridge. Over 600 hundred students are expected to attend on a daily basis – bringing much needed business to the town centre.
Stourbridge College will use the Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership group as a communication vehicle to keep key stakeholders and the local community informed of the progress of their new college building in Brierley Hill. This will include providing regular agenda items, blog postings and emails over the next year.
If anyone has questions or requires further information at this stage they should contact Mags Winthrop, the College’s communications co-ordinator by email: mags.winthrop@stourbridge.ac.uk or by calling 01384 344482 during working hours.
A representative from the College will also be in attendance at the Town Centre Partnership meeting in September.
Urban Design in Brierley Hill Town Centre: event and consultation
How should buildings in the new Brierley Hill look? How can design influence the ‘feel’ and viability of a town centre? Can crime be designed out?
Brierley Hill Civic Society will be having a presentation from Dudley Council on these matters on Monday 19th July at 5.30pm at St Michael’s, Brierley Hill. If you are interested in the future of your town please come and join us. The council’s website explains the process of drawing up the ‘Supplementary Planning Document and this will be a chance to have your say… Continue reading Urban Design in Brierley Hill Town Centre: event and consultation
Planners reassure Brierley Hill stakeholders on jobs plan
Moves by the new coalition government to axe Regional Spatial Strategies will NOT stop plans to bring major new building projects for Brierley Hill according to Dudley Council’s Senior Planning Policy Officer Annette Roberts.
Proposals to increase the size of the Merry Hill Centre, create over 2000 new homes and bring offices and 10,000 jobs to the area had been embeded in the West Midlands Spatial Strategy – a planning document which guides development throughout the region.
But the new government feels that Spatial Strategies are too bureacratic and restrictive for local councils and have announced plans to abolish them. This has raised some concerns about the future of regeneration in Brierley Hill, the borough’s strategic centre.
Speaking to a meeting of Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership Annette explained that although the regional strategy will disappear, all of the evidence which underpinned it – including the high priority to create new jobs and homes in the area – remains valid and retains the support of the four councils in the Black Country. The councils have produced a ‘Joint Core Strategy’ which sets out how they plan to work together to regenerate the area. The Joint Core Strategy is due to go to an examination in public in July and includes the designation of Brierley Hill as a strategic centre (together with the tests required to be passed before further major retail exapansion can take place).
Brierley Hill regeneration a ‘moral imperative’
Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership has urged planning authorities to press ahead with plans to regenerate the area, describing the need to tackle social disadvantage a ‘moral imperative’.
The partnership issued its call to action as part of its representation on the Brierley Hill Area Action Plan – consultation on which closed on Friday 1th January.
At its meeting the previous day the partnership had heard of social need in the area where the average life span of males living in the ward is a shocking seven years less than in nearby more affluent wards. Continue reading Brierley Hill regeneration a ‘moral imperative’
May opening for Brierley Hill health and social care centre
Brierley Hill’s new health and social care centre is still on track to open in May.
The new building on Venture Way Brierley Hill is nearing completion despite the recent bad weather having hampered operations by construction company Carillion.
Chief Executive of Dudley Infracare Lift, John Coyne, told the most recent meeting of Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership:
“Inevitably the snow over recent weeks has meant some of the work on the site is delayed. However I am confident that any lost time will be made up and the health centre will be opening on time in May.” Continue reading May opening for Brierley Hill health and social care centre
New hope for advice centre?
Partners in Brierley Hill are set to meet to see if a vital advice centre in the town can be revived.
The Signpost shop a multi-agency advice, information and guidance centre in Brierley Hill closed its doors in December despite having over 5000 visitors during its last twelve months of operation.
Now Citizens Advice Bureau Chief Executive and Community Partnership director Caroline Dimbylow is spearheading a working party to try and ensure that local residents continue to get the advice they need. Continue reading New hope for advice centre?
National Youth Theatre reaffirms commitment to Brierley Hill
The National Youth Theatre has confirmed that it will continue to work in Brierley Hill, its first regional centre, following pilot projects over the last three years.
Speaking at a meeting of Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership Alexa Cruickshank, general manager of the National Youth Theatre said:
“Brierley Hill was the first regional centre for the National Youth Theatre. We have been delighted by the progress to date and will be working to make an even bigger impact in the area in the future”. Continue reading National Youth Theatre reaffirms commitment to Brierley Hill
Response from Ian Pearson MP
IP Response Response from Ian Pearson MP in support of proposed Stourbridge campus
Area Action Plan draft added to download page
The draft Area Action Plan has now been added to the download/documents page of Brierley Hill Blog.