The Council’s current Adopted 2005 Unitary Development Plan (UDP) contains policies and proposals that set the context for the physical development of land in the Borough, and includes a chapter for Halesowen Town Centre.
The policies in the Adopted 2005 UDP need to be updated. Given this, there is a need to produce a new planning policy document for Halesowen Town Centre for 2013 onwards. Producing an Area Action Plan (AAP) for Halesowen Town Centre is considered the best way of doing this.
The Halesowen AAP will be a planning policy document against which decisions on planning applications will be made for the period 2013 to 2026. As part of the Council’s ‘Local Development Framework’, it will consider such issues as:
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What new development is needed and where this should happen.
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Which areas need regenerating, and which need to be conserved.
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Where the primary shopping area (formerly retail core) of the Town Centre is, thereby guiding retail and non-retail development to appropriate locations.
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What principles should guide new development, particularly in terms of urban design.
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Whether any new infrastructure is needed to service the Town Centre, or the new development planned within it, such as public spaces, streets or green infrastructure.
Although this document will be focused on ‘spatial planning’ and ‘land use’ issues, it will be prepared having regard to the various other complementary initiatives operating in the town such as the Community Renewal Plan and the Halesowen Public Realm Study.
Key stages and anticipated timescales for the production of the Halesowen AAP are:
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Commencement (September 2009 on) – this will include information and evidence gathering, and preparation of an ‘Options’ document setting out a number of policy options for Halesowen Town Centre.
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Public Consultation (July to September 2010) – a formal six week consultation exercise on the ‘Options’ stage consultation document. Results from this exercise will influence the content of the Halesowen AAP itself.
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Public Consultation (January to February 2012) – a second round of formal consultation (six weeks) on the subsequent Halesowen AAP ‘Preferred Options’ document. This 'Preferred Options' stage consultation document is informed by, builds on, and refines the 2010 'Options' stage. Results from this exercise will again influence the content of the Halesowen AAP itself.
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Publication (September 2012) – The Halesowen AAP and supporting documents need to be published and made subject to a further formal six week consultation period during which representations relating to the document’s ‘soundness’ can be made - these representations subsequently being considered at public examination (see below). To be ‘sound’ the Halesowen AAP needs to be justified, effective, and consistent with national policy.
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Submission (December 2012) – the Halesowen AAP will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for its subsequent public examination in front of an independent planning inspector.
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Public Examination (May 2013) – Carried out to enable the independent planning inspector to assess the Halesowen AAP in terms of:
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Adoption (October 2013) – The Council receives the planning inspector’s binding report and makes any necessary changes to the Halesowen AAP. Full Council approval is then required to adopt the document – whereupon it supersedes the Halesowen chapter of the Dudley Adopted 2005 Unitary Development Plan.
Halesowen Area Action Plan – Preferred Options stage Consultation
The Halesowen Area Action Plan 'Preferred Options' stage consultation document is informed by, builds on, and refines the 2010 'Options' stage version, and proposes a vision, objectives and detailed spatial strategy for future development in Halesowen town centre up to 2026, including some potential development opportunity areas to help stimulate regeneration within the town. The Action Plan will guide new investment into Halesowen town centre and will set out where new shops and other appropriate town centre proposals should be located.
We would now like to invite you to submit representations on this Preferred Options document during the consultation period from 9th January to 20th February 2012.
The Halesowen Area Action Plan ‘Preferred Options’ consultation document is available below, and supporting documents including the Sustainability Appraisal can be found on accompanying pages of this website.
We would encourage you to submit electronic representations to this document wherever possible. You can respond to this consultation (between 9th January and 20th February 2012) at:
Email: ldf@dudley.gov.uk
Online: View public consultation document for Halesowen Area Action Plan Preferred Options
Post: Planning Policy Section
Directorate of the Urban Environment
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
3 St James’s Road
Dudley
West Midlands DY1 1HZ
If you do make comments on the Halesowen Area Action Plan Preferred Options document, please specify the matters to which they relate and the grounds on which they are made. You may also request to be notified of the submission of the Halesowen Area Action Plan for independent examination, the publication of the Inspector’s Report from that examination, and or its adoption by the Council – please include your details so that we can contact you.
Council officers will be available at the Cornbow Shopping Centre in Halesowen on Wednesday 1st February to discuss the document with the public and seek their comments.
The Halesowen Area Action Plan Preferred Options document is available to view and comment upon on-line between 9th January and 20th February 2012:
Please note that a large font 'accessible version' can be selected on this consultation portal, and alternatively that a zoom function can be used (using your computer mouse wheel) to enlarge images and text.
If you wish to speak to a planning officer in relation to the Halesowen Area Action Plan, please use the details below:
