Dudley MP says cash for shops is a ‘no-brainer’
Dudley’s MP says she is disappointed the borough council will not accept government cash to upgrade vacant shops.
Labour’s Sonia Kumar believes the Conservative-run authority should sign up for the High Street Rental Auctions scheme.
The scheme gives local authorities the power to sell leases for up to five years on vacant high street properties and provides cash from Westminster to refurbish premises.
In September council leader Councillor Patrick Harley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that while the council was committed to regeneration in Dudley town centre it would not be taking advantage of the scheme.
Ms Kumar said: “Dudley town centre, for a number of years, has been a dying high street and whenever I speak to residents people have said they want a thriving town centre where there is a variety of shops.
“I’m very disappointed to see the council has decided not to take advantage of free money to refurbish these empty shops – it is an absolute no-brainer.”
Dudley’s draft local plan which, if adopted, will shape the council’s development policy until 2041 says while there is a need for an ‘anchor food store’ in Dudley town centre, other new retail may not be essential due to changes in people’s shopping habits and more home working.
The draft plan said: “The increased move towards centre living provides the opportunity for new residential developments to significantly contribute towards the regeneration of the borough’s centres, as part of mixed-use developments and upper floor living, as well utilising redundant and vacant in-centre sites.
“Therefore, future growth and investment within centres may not necessarily be led by the traditional retail sector.”
Ms Kumar said: “I would love to see big shops coming back but our offer needs to be different, a combination of retail, tourism and the nighttime economy.”
She added there are 37 empty shops in Dudley town centre which could be repurposed using government cash for a variety of uses other than retail including new health centres.
Ms Kumar added: “The council 100 per cent needs to be thinking about support from central government.
“Any shops that are boarded up are bringing down the town centre’s look.”
