Black Country Core Strategy

Submission Document

Following the Publication stage, the Core Strategy was submitted to the Secretary of State on February 26 2010. It was accompanied by a Schedule of Proposed Changes to the Publication document, the supporting evidence and consultation statements.

Further details can be found on the Core Strategy website, including details about the Examination in Public which will take place during 2010. The Submission documents can also be viewed at:

Wolverhampton City Council, Civic Centre, St. Peter's Square, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SH (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm)
All public libraries in Wolverhampton (opening times may vary)

Publication Document

The Core Strategy is a ‘spatial planning document’ which will guide the transformation and regeneration of the Black Country by promoting economic growth through improving the quality of employment land and aiding the delivery of a broad mix of new homes between now and 2026. This will be supported by new shops, offices, leisure, transport and environmental improvements. At the heart of the strategy is a series of ‘regeneration corridors’ and ‘strategic centres’ where change will be focussed.

Specifically, in Wolverhampton:

The City Centre will be an established, confident centre with a wide variety of quality shops and cultural attractions, 21st century offices, urban living and a city-scale public transport interchange. It will have an enhanced, well maintained built environment which will be attractive to visitors, businesses and residents.
Pendeford to Fordhouses focussed around the M54 Junction 2, together with the i54 site, will have fulfilled its potential to become one of the premier employment locations in the West Midlands.
Stafford Road will symbolise the new Black Country where high quality homes and knowledge-based business comfortably share a high quality environment. There will be a rejuvenated central area, including the canal and Fowlers Playing Fields, along with new residential communities near Low Hill.
Regeneration in the area South of City Centre will have transformed it into a vibrant, mixed residential community with strong links to the City Centre and to existing communities to the south in Blakenhall. Sustainable local employment uses will also be retained.
Bilston Corridor, stretching along the canal and Metro line between Wolverhampton City Centre and Bilston Town Centre, will be a focus for regeneration and environmental transformation. New residential communities will be served by high quality networks of green infrastructure. There will be investment in the key employment areas to serve local employment needs and provide high quality job opportunities.
Loxdale and Moxley will continue as a major industrial and logistics hub serving the Black Country. Environmental and local access improvements will create a new image for the area.
Neachells employment area in Wednesfield will help play a major part in providing first class quality employment land for knowledge-led manufacturing and logistics businesses, attracting and providing sustainable jobs.

Plans showing the location for future development in Wolverhampton up to 2026 are contained within the strategy.

Further information on the Publication, including copies of the document, online representation form and supporting documents are available on the website at http://blackcountrycorestrategy.dudley.gov.uk/. These documents are also available to view at each of the four local authorities Council offices and libraries.

Representations were invited on the Publication documents from November 30 2009 to January 15 2010.

General

The four Black Country local authorities of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall are preparing a Joint Core Strategy. The Core Strategy will set out the vision, objectives and strategy for future development in the Black Country up to 2026.
This strategy is a forward looking, growth orientated spatial planning strategy aimed at delivering a restructured, regenerated and more attractive Black Country.

The Black Country has ambitious aspirations to achieve future growth and competitiveness, creating almost half a million jobs and over 60,000 new homes through transformational urban renaissance. The aim of the Core Strategy is to balance this high level of growth with the need to protect and enhance the Black Country for future generations of residents.

It will form the basis of each local authorities Local Development Framework and guide future development decisions throughout the Black Country.

The Core Strategy will take into account existing and emerging national, regional and local planning policies and guidance (including the proposed revisions to the Regional Spatial Strategy as a result of the Black Country Study). The Core Strategy will also help deliver the priorities contained within the Sustainable Community Strategy (the Community Plan).

A website has been set up to provide up-to-date information on the Core Strategy, details of upcoming consultation events and copies of any documents, evidence or other material available: http://blackcountrycorestrategy.dudley.gov.uk/.

Previous Consultation

Consultation on the Issues & Options and Preferred Options stages have already taken place. Views received during these consultations have been used to help determine the Publication document. The Councils responses to theses comments can be found on the Core Strategy website.

Further information

To find out more about the Core Strategy and how you can get involved, please contact the Planning Policy and Area Plans team on:

E-mail: planning.policy@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Phone: 01902 552177 / 5636
Minicom: 01902 555554
Fax: 01902 555637