West Bromwich Masterplan consultation launches

Residents and businesses are being asked their views to help shape the future regeneration of West Bromwich.

Sandwell Council has launched a four-week public consultation on the West Bromwich Masterplan, which provides a blueprint to help attract financial investment and secure growth for the town centre in the coming decades.

The consultation will also ask for feedback on the Interim Planning Statement (IPS), which will update planning policy in the area, considering new land uses and replacing the current West Bromwich Area Action Plan 2012.

Cllr Iqbal Padda, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for strong and inclusive economy, said: ‘We want to hear the views of as many individuals, community groups and businesses as possible on our proposals for a new dynamic vision for the town centre, which we believe will foster significant investment, regeneration and enable the town to grow and prosper for the future.

‘The shape of traditional retail has changed, and the pandemic has accelerated this trend, meaning many town centres are seeing a shrinking retail sector and many vacant and abandoned shops with many town centres declining.

‘In order to combat and reverse some of this general decline of use of the town, we are drawing up the Masterplan to drive change for the town. We want to look at how we can transform existing spaces in the town centre to new uses – for example creating residential homes – encouraging and uplifting the economy in the area. This vision will be used to attract and bid for further investment programmes to assist in regeneration and development activity for the town.’

The Council’s planning team have already worked with pupils at a local primary school, asking the children for their ideas about what they would like to see in the town centre as they grow up, and the consultation is expected to involve other youth, community, business, and voluntary groups.

The plan will cover the next 20-30 years for the town, and feedback from the consultation will be reported back to the Cabinet in the Autumn.

In related news, the Salisbury River Park Masterplan gets approval from Wiltshire Council. 

Photo supplied by Sandwell Council