Block 9 - Birmingham Street Opportunity Site

This is an edge-of-centre site with strategic road frontage. This block offers an opportunity for redevelopment to complement the regeneration of the Town Centre. Split east/west by the River Stour, the frontage to Birmingham Street is presently industrial in nature and forms the major opportunity site (Site E). To the north is the Civic Amenity site and open space of the Stour Valley, which will remain.

Birmingham Street Opportunity Site

Development should provide for an edge-of-town function, such as bulky goods retail or DIY, concentrated to the western end of the site. The opportunity should be taken to open up the River Stour corridor and incorporate pedestrian access to and through the site. Development is likely to be freestanding with surface car parking, but with a strong frontage to Birmingham Street, allowing a more open aspect along the Stour Valley.

The loss of the existing parking area will be compensated for within any redevelopment proposals or as part of development proposals for other sites. The site is outside the retail core of the Town Centre and has poor links to the Centre. It provides an opportunity for a large single user of over 2500m²and therefore a bulky goods or DIY type of use is considered appropriate.

Residential development will be considered in the eastern half of the site, exploiting the potential of the river but recognising the proximity of the Civic Amenity site.

It is acknowledged that the River Stour imposes physical constraints on this site, which will need to be addressed as part of any redevelopment.

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