CHAPTER 16: Bilston Town Centre

16.1

Introduction

Bilston Town Centre is the second commercial centre in the City of Wolverhampton and plays an important role in the local shopping hierarchy. However it is much more than just a shopping centre, and in this lies both its recent problems and its future prospects. Bilston is a historic Black Country town with a strong and proud tradition of industry and local identity. It has suffered considerably from the decline of traditional industry in the region as a whole and particularly in and around the town centre. Nonetheless it retains an important role both for local people and, especially through its indoor and outdoor markets, for a wider catchment.

The principal findings of an environmental audit of the Town Centre carried out by the Council’s consultants Taylor Young in Autumn 2000, highlighted that:

• The town centre has a strong east-west axis but north-south links are more fragmented
• The Black Country route forms a strong edge to the south which constrains movements to / from the proposed urban village
• Metro and bus access is good with recent major investment
• Road access to Bilston is generally good and there is a significant amount of car parking around the centre
• Pedestrian links within the centre are good, except for the north-south link to the markets and to Morrisons foodstore
• The environment of Market Way and the markets area is poor
• Quality of frontages varies considerably through the centre
• The environment of parts of the centre suffers from lack of investment
• Recent investment in the public realm in Church Street is generally good
• Most of the quality buildings are in the historic core and Mount Pleasant parts of the centre (within the designated Bilston Town Centre Conservation Area).

A further Audit of Town Centre retail activity was carried out by consultants Daniel & Hulme in 2003 for the Bilston Regeneration Forum. This study confirms that Bilston has an important role to play within the hierarchy of centres within the City and identifies strong commercial interest for additional investment over the UDP period.

Bilston Urban Village

Proposals to develop an Urban Village on a substantial area of brownfield land to the south of Bilston Town Centre are being pursued by the Council and Advantage West Midlands. This major initiative to secure reclamation and mixed use development has the potential to generate some 1300 new homes and 49,000 sq. m of employment space providing almost 1500 jobs together with the creation of new landscape and local linkages. The urban village will be close enough to the Town Centre for there to be close integration between the two, and with improved linkages to surrounding communities, for the additional catchments of residents and business employees to bring major commercial benefits the Town Centre.

Key Objectives for the Town Centre

Objective 1 – Strengthening the town’s retail activities

Bilston should not rely on the prospect of further major retail floorspace expansion, but can take positive steps to improve its existing assets and identity as the City’s second retail centre. The town has opportunities to enhance its attractiveness and needs to act to avoid falling into a cycle of disinvestment. The Town Centre’s assets including the markets, the pedestrianised main street and Morrisons must be fully exploited and should be seen to complement each other.

Objective 2 – Re-establishing the Heart of Bilston

The historic core of the town east of the Metro line is seen as an important but underused asset. Action is needed to re-establish a role and identity through new uses and activities linked with environmental improvements. The Town Hall is at the centre of this area and will have a significant impact on its regeneration.

Objective 3 – Promoting a safer place for all

Whilst Bilston Town Centre does not face insurmountable crime and safety issues, nonetheless it is recognised locally that action should be taken to improve local circumstances and generate a positive perception of the security situation for business and visitors alike.

Objective 4 – Improving the linkages

Movement within the core of the Town Centre is generally convenient, with good links through car parks to Church Street / High Street. The Bus Station and Metro are in close proximity. However there is cause for concern that improved pedestrian links are required between High Street the Markets, Morrison’s foodstore and the proposed urban village. Improved access to the Metro is also necessary.

Objective 5 – Widening the range of uses in the Town Centre

The Town Centre needs a wider range of activities to broaden its attractiveness and strengthen its economic and social base. The transformation will not occur however without guidance and positive support in order to realise the latent opportunities that exist. A wider range of uses can also bring activity outside the standard working day and help to attract more visitors to the centre.

Objective 6 – Changing perception of environment and image

Whilst parts of Bilston have been significantly improved, most notably following the pedestrianisation of Church Street / High Street there remain some areas where run down buildings and sites detract from the attractiveness of the Town Centre, and others where the prospect of decline could detract in the foreseeable future. Furthermore the external perception of the town is not as positive as it could be and action is needed to attract visitors who may otherwise pass by.

Objective 7 – Expanding employment opportunities

The strategy for Bilston Town Centre sets the framework for wide ranging involvement in the ongoing process of regeneration, seeking to involve local business and residential communities in strengthening the centre’s role and function.

It is important to recognise the role that Bilston Town Centre can play in relation to surrounding centres. Its location close to the sub-regional centre of Wolverhampton and within easy reach of the regional centre in Birmingham indicates that it cannot compete with these centres in terms of attracting major investment. However, what is clear from recent analysis is the loyalty of the surrounding population to the town centre. This needs to be built upon to project Bilston as the district centre for south east Wolverhampton and to some extent a centre to serve nearby residential areas in Walsall and Sandwell. Such a strategy would focus upon Bilston acting as a natural centre for a wider catchment than is currently the case for a wide range of activities including shopping, leisure, public administration and local services.

To achieve this will require the strengthening of the primary shopping area, a diversified range of activities and an uplift in environmental quality. The town centre can then build upon its links to the Metro line, which provide improved accessibility from nearby plus the potential of the urban village and other residential opportunities.

The strategy therefore seeks to re-focus the centre, identifying key issues for each part, promoting a mix of change and consolidation, introducing new uses and concentrating attention on a series of linked Character Areas which together will build up into a lively and more vibrant whole.

The Plan’s general policy for ‘town centres’ (SH6) defines the role of Bilston in support of the above strategy. This forms the context for the policies and proposals set out below. Supplementary Planning Guidance containing detailed proposals is provided in the Bilston Town Centre Strategy (November 2001).

16.2

Bilston Town Centre Wide Initiatives

The Character Area policies set out below need to be complemented by town centre wide initiatives to pull the whole regeneration strategy together. The linkages between different character areas and between key entry points and destinations are in many cases poor. Some marker features, such as the ‘gateway’ to the markets from the bus station have been well designed but overall signage is utilitarian and unattractive in character. The car parks immediately adjacent to the shopping core appear to be generally well used. However, more peripheral car parks are less well used and may offer other opportunities. The situation also needs to be viewed in the light of recent Government policy on the balance between public and private transport.

Recent work in Bilston has demonstrated that buried archaeological deposits of significance for the reconstruction of the history of the town are present. In addition detailed analysis of some of the existing standing buildings has demonstrated that elements of earlier buildings can survive within buildings whose facades date from a later period. Such information is of intrinsic interest but also does much to foster a sense of shared history and community. Accordingly where there are indications that archaeological features may survive, especially within the historic core, an archaeological assessment will be required for any proposed development (see Policies HE24 to HE28).

16.2.3Bilston will form part of a city-wide study of local character and distinctiveness (Policy HE1). All development proposals will be expected to take full account of local distinctive character types and areas.

It is proposed that a signage strategy be drawn up for the town centre to address the issued highlighted above. As well as providing clear guidance signage should say something about the identity of the town and its distinct character areas. Signage can include public art, town information/advertisements, lighting and sponsorship as well as the more traditional pointer signs.

16.3

Mount Pleasant Area

The Mount Pleasant area provides an important approach into Bilston Town Centre. It plays only a secondary role in retail terms and retail expansion should not be encouraged as this would detract from the core areas. It provides the most attractive residential environment in the study area, together with the recently refurbished library / art gallery and the important development opportunity of the former college building and transport depot.

The area will focus on its potential for a mix of development, primarily residential, but with small-scale Class B1 business opportunities and enhancement of its existing community facilities. There are various possible small-scale residential development sites and also opportunities on the north side of Mount Pleasant between Lichfield Street and Mountford Lane where conversion of upper floors to residential should be explored.

16.4

Historic Core

The Historic Core of Bilston requires significant intervention to reverse its recent decline. Environmental quality has suffered from the effects of heavy traffic in Lichfield Street, which has contributed to the wider problems of a lack of investment in businesses and premises. Levels of economic activity have also been restricted and vacancy levels are higher than in the primary shopping area of the town centre. Nonetheless it has some of the most attractive buildings in the town, together with a good mix of viable businesses, interesting spaces, linkages and development opportunities. Accessibility is good, with the Midland Metro line, car parks close at hand and the pedestrianised part of Church Street nearby. However, whilst the juxtaposition with the primary shopping area is a positive asset this area should not seek to compete directly with the principal shopping function of the primary shopping area itself.

The new role should embrace both commercial and community objectives, actively promoting an identity for the Character Area as a whole. It is essential that regeneration is promoted throughout the area and not just focussed on the Town Hall or any other individual opportunity. In this way a stronger context will be provided for specific schemes and the perception of the Heart of Bilston will begin to change. A wider range of uses must be sought, including leisure, residential, community facilities and employment uses, to complement those already in place. Retail activity will continue, but the area should not be dependent on a significant increase for its future prosperity.

The historic character of this area is one of its principal assets, but it requires a comprehensive programme of public realm enhancement together with measures to promote reinvestment in buildings and sites. This is particularly the case for the areas around the Town Hall, The Orchard, the former Pipe Hall hotel and Lichfield Street where action is also needed to reduce the impact of the traffic on the town centre environment.

Where appropriate, the Council will also use its statutory powers, including the securing of Article 4 Directions and discontinuation and enforcement action, to achieve its wider aims for the enhancement of the area. The Council intend to undertake investigation of the potential for removing through traffic from Lichfield Street during the lifetime of the UDP.

Development opportunities should not be seen in a piecemeal manner. Land assembly should be explored for parts of the area in order to bring forward key opportunities. The Orchard area in particular presents possibilities for a mix of refurbishment and new development with improvements to pedestrian links and environment. Relocation of some businesses may be required, calling for sensitive management of the regeneration process.

16.5

Primary Shopping Area

In recent years retail activity in Bilston has become more strongly focussed on the pedestrianised section of Church Street and the indoor and outdoor markets. This is the area which has benefited most from the environmental and access improvements carried out by Wolverhampton Council, whilst the western part of High Street and the eastern end of Church Street have taken on a more peripheral role. The arrival of Morrisons introduced a significant new factor, which initially posed threats to established patterns of shopping but has become a major focal point as the town’s largest single retail outlet.

The importance of the indoor and outdoor markets cannot be overemphasised. Both play a vital role in defining Bilston as a retail centre, and in drawing visitors from beyond the immediate catchment. However, there is concern that their full potential is not being realised and that action will be needed to strengthen their role for the future.

Strengthening the retail function does not necessarily mean more new retail floorspace, although the strategy does enable this to happen if demand is strong enough. The primary objective is to secure a more robust primary shopping area which can build on the existing features of Bilston Town Centre through improving the quality of both the retail facilities and the environment in which they operate.

The strategy proposes a major reorientation within the primary shopping area to improve this north / south axis. This will entail the improvement of Market Way to create an attractive link between Church Street, the markets and Morrisons. This needs to be more than merely cosmetic improvement to make a real impact on the experience and flow of users in the markets area and into the town centre from Morrisons.

16.6

Western Gateway

The section of the town centre west of the pedestrianised area faces difficult trends at present. With limited demand for significant retail investment in this area there is a higher level of vacancies than in the primary shopping area, a need to explore alternative uses, but a concern that some existing properties may not merit reinvestment. Nonetheless it provides an important approach to the town centre, both from the existing highway network and potentially from the urban village. The newer development occupied by the Lidl supermarket and the City Council’s Housing Office contrasts markedly with the variety of smaller shops, and the environment is less attractive than in the pedestrianised area.

The area includes the Grade II* listed Greyhound and Punchbowl public house. This is a key landmark building on the English Heritage Register of Buildings at Risk 2005. Repairs to the building and enhancement of its setting should be a priority.

A frontage development site may be identified between the two roundabouts, to be explored in detail via a development brief which would take particular account of existing landscape features in the area. This would provide the opportunity for a scheme to create a stronger gateway to High Street.

The block of properties between Lidl and Broad Street should be reviewed. The possibility of selective refurbishment should first be considered, identifying those units which have potential for new or retained uses on ground and upper floors and considering how these might be improved in the shorter term. Partial redevelopment may be more suitably in conjunction with the car park to the south, thereby generating the flexibility of a larger site for a mix of residential, business and retail uses with redesigned parking, and providing a further opportunity to integrate with the proposed urban village. As with other similar opportunities in the town centre the future of Bilston’s car parks should be informed by a town centre wide parking study.

16.7

Frontage Use Policy

Retaining and improving a variety of Class A1 (Shops) uses is important to the future vitality and viability of the Town Centre. Controls over changes to frontage uses are therefore required to ensure that the number, type and range of retail (A1) shops is maintained and strengthened. It is also recognised that other uses such as Class A2 (Finance and Professional Services) and Class A3, A4 and A5 (Food and Drink) uses have a key role but their location must be controlled to maintain a healthy mix of uses.

16.8

Bilston Town Hall

Bilston Town Hall is a landmark feature in the town centre, and played a central role in the local community until its closure in 1998. Dating from 1872, it is an important Grade II listed building which is regarded with strong local affection and is a focus for community interest in restoration and re-use. Its location at the heart of the historic core of the Town Centre adds to its importance for the area as a whole.

Having stood empty since the Council relocated its Housing Office the Town Hall has deteriorated physically, although recent remedial works have now been undertaken. However, the building continues to face problems of a wider nature. These relate firstly to the building itself, and secondly to its relationship with its surrounding area.

Despite the range of problems the Town Hall rightly retains a central place in the priorities of the local community. The practical opportunities, like the problems, relate to both the building and its surrounding area, and at both levels can tie closely into the wider regeneration aspirations of the local community. Key opportunities have been identified in terms of:

• Listed Building status
• Refurbishment of an important symbol for the town
• Creation of unique floorspace for the Town Centre
• Public / Voluntary / Private sector partnership opportunity
• Role for community uses and private investment
• Creation of new functions for the adjoining public spaces and church yard
• Upgrading of Church Street / Walsall Street for pedestrian priority
• Relationship to the wider Historic Core including The Orchard area
• Upgrading of access to the Metro