REGENERATION
PROJECTS.
A SUMMARY OF KEY REGENERATION PROJECTS ACROSS DUDLEY BOROUGH
BRIERLEY HILL TOWN CENTRE IMPROVEMENTS
A £5 million pound regeneration programme of major improvements began in January, 2023, in Brierley Hill town centre. The programme is improving transport links, along with the look and feel of the town and is due for completion in summer 2024.
The improvement project is working to create a more welcoming town environment, which is safe, economically thriving and easily accessible by people. It also recognises the importance of the town’s precious history and that it’s heritage and conservation is integral.
The works are being funded through the Future High Street Fund and Brierley Hill High Street Heritage Action Zone. They have included major improvement works along and adjacent to the High Street, including new seating, street furniture, plating and trees, as well as attractive new paving; the refurbishment of Brierley Hill Library and upgrading of public toilets. The Civic Hall Green is also being improved.
Local residents and businesses were asked for feedback on these planned works as part of a formal public consultation and where possible and appropriate the designs were updated to reflect the feedback received.
The works programme
On the High Street attractive new footpath paving is now laid, along with planters, and street furniture. Trees, shrubs and plants have been planted and the road will be resurfaced. Mill Street, Cottage street and Little Cottage Street also have new footpath paving, kerbing and car park improvements. The walkway link space which links High Street and Cottage Street is being updated with natural stone paving, new planting and seating, blending with High Street.
On the Civic Hall Green Hall attractive new paths and resin bonded gravel have been laid and new benches installed outside the Civic Hall. New trees are being planted, along with shrubs and plants, festoon lighting in the tress and the installation of the public art kerbing around the Brier Rose. This work is aimed to be complete by summer 2024.
The council is also currently considering further additional improvement works to be carried out in and around Brierley Hill and designs for these are currently being undertaken. More details will be provided to people in due course. These further improvement works would be completed by March 2025.
Support your High Street - it is still easy to park and access the town centre
Dudley Council is committed to minimising disruption during these improvements and is asking people to continue to support the town and local businesses while the work is taking place.
Shops and eateries are still all open for business, easy to get to on foot, or by car, or bus and public transport and parking is only minimally affected.
Parking
There is still plenty of local, central parking, free for up to two hours at council car parks located at:
• Bank Street
• Level Street
• Little Cottage Street
It’s still easy to drop off and pick up on the High Street or park for up to one hour.
There are also several privately operated car parks in the town, all centrally located.
OUR PROJECTS.
WEDNESBURY TO BRIERLEY HILL METRO EXTENSION
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The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension forms part of Transport for West Midland’s ambitious plan to regenerate public transport in theregion.
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The current Metro system is being transformed into an expanded network to provide better connectivity across the region, tackling congestion and helping to drive economic growth. This highly-anticipated route will be a key part of this helping provide access to the best education, training and employment opportunities, no matter where you live in the region.
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The project will be delivered in two phases. The first will see trams travel 6.5km through Sandwell to Dudley town centre, serving a new terminus at Flood Street, with convenient interchanges with local bus and rail services along the new route. In the second phase of the project the route will be extended a further 4km to Brierley Hill, at Merry Hill Waterfront.
Key features:
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When complete, the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension will:
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Create up to 13 further tram stops, bringing the network total to over 40 tram stops
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Add a further 10.5km of track through Sandwell to Merry Hill Waterfront
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Link Dudley and Brierley Hill directly with the Metro line serving Birmingham and Wolverhampton
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Provide fast and frequent services in each direction
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Connect Dudley with Birmingham in around 40 minutes, linking Wolverhampton to Dudley in around 30 minutes, allowing journeys between Birmingham and Brierley Hill in under an hour.
BUDGET
£103m WMCA, £207m Governmentt, £0.4m BC Local Growth Fund, £139m Prudential borrowing, £449 million total
TIMELINE
On site - February 2020
Passenger services anticipated: 2024
BRIERLEY HILL HIGH STREET HERITAGE ACTION ZONE
The HSHAZ is an initiative launched by Historic England with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The initiative aims to provide heritage led regeneration of high streets in 3 ways:
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Carry out physical interventions to historic buildings in the high street area by providing grant funding for external improvement;
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Complete repairs and improvements to the historic areas of the public realm;
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Hold a series of cultural events for the people of Brierley Hill, showcasing the High Street's businesses, culture and rich history.
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Find out more here.
BUDGET
£1.8m Historic England
TIMELINE
The project will run from 2020 to 2024
ART TRACK - METRO ART PROGRAMME
The funding will support commissioning competitions for artists to design physical works, artistic residencies and a community engagement programme.
Students from Dudley College and University of Wolverhampton will also have opportunities to be involved.
The expressions of interest stage is now closed and submissions are being reviewed. The project group is in discussion with artists to develop plans further prior to the summer exhibition.
Find out more here.
BUDGET
£96,000 Arts Council England
TIMELINE
Exhibition in Summer 2022
FUTURE HIGH STREETS FUND
The Future High Streets Fund will finance key transformation works in Brierley Hill including improving connectivity and integration with the new Metro terminus linking Brierley Hill to Wednesbury, refurbishments to the library and reopening of the public toilets.
Find out more here.
BUDGET
£10million Future High Streets Fund
TIMELINE
2023/24
Brierley Hill Town Board
Brierley Hill Consultation - Autumn 2022
In Autumn 2022 we asked residents to share their thoughts on our proposals for Brierley Hill High Street.
Your feedback been very valuable in helping shape the proposals.
The results were as follows:
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Over 77% of people either strongly supported or supported the proposals to redesign the Civic Hall Green in order that it becomes a public open space with seating and a link path to the Civic Hall
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Over 70% of people either strongly supported or supported the examples of street furniture and other materials being proposed to enhance the public realm
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Over 77% of people either strongly supported or supported the prioritising of pedestrian movement across the high street by introducing raised crossings and traffic calming measures and by reducing the High Street to a 20mph zone to improve pedestrian safety
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Over 79% of people either strongly supported or supported the proposals to introduce more street trees and verge planting into the High Street
Based on these responses and the additional comments received, we have been able to achieve the following:
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New natural kerbs and paving slabs have been laid
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New bus shelters have been installed
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New street trees and street furniture (seats, bins, planters, cycle stands) are to be installed soon
We are also extending the scheme into Mill Street and Pearson Street.
We also sought your views on Cottage Street/Five Ways junction. We put forward two options to be considered for the Cottage Street/Five Ways junction which were:
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Option 1 was to pedestrianize Cottage Street
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Option 2 was to leave it as it is allowing it to continue to be accessed by vehicular traffic
Whilst 49.47% of the respondents expressed their support for Option 1 (pedestrianize) there was 38.95% of respondents who indicated that they would prefer to leave it as is with 11.58% expressing no preference.
Since undertaking the original consultation, more representation has been received from the public indicating that whilst there is support to provide more pedestrian priority in this area, the support is waning for the permanent closure of Cottage Street to Traffic at this time. The council has therefore decided not to pursue Option 1 (pedestrianize) under this current scheme but to instead keep Cottage Street open to vehicular traffic and revisit pedestrianisation at a later date when more information is known about the proposed Metro Terminus and the public have had chance to experience the improvements we are making in this area.
Brierley Hill Town Centre Public Realm - Illustrative Masterplan