Councillor urges residents to object to redevelopment plans appeal
A Black Country councillor has urged members of the public to issue objections against an appeal for plans to replace a shopping precinct with a car park.
Brierley Hill Councillor Adam Davies has issued details of the plans by the Moor Centre shopping precinct in Brierley Hill town centre to appeal a decision to refuse planning permission on his Facebook page
The proposal made by the owners of the centre would have seen the new car park to be accessed via a new access road near the Five Ways junction on the high street which, he said, would have cut right across the walkway, putting pedestrians at risk.
The plans would have also led to the closure of the much larger 167 space car park at the rear and which, Councillor Davies said, he and other business leaders in the town, had opposed.
Councillor Davies said: "As many will remember, last year, Dudley Council rightly refused a planning application submitted by the owners of the Moor Centre which would have seen the public space in front of the centre replaced with a new small car park and access road.
"Together with Brierley Hill Community Forum and a number of local businesses including Alan Warwick Butchers, I campaigned against the proposal and spoke against the application at the Council's planning committee, also encouraging members of the public to support our argument by officially submitting objections.
"Dudley Council rightly listened and refused the owner's application – however, the owners of the Moor Centre have now submitted an appeal to the national Planning Inspectorate challenging Dudley Council's decision"
Councillor Davies also said that the council had stood by its decision and he had been working with members of the Brierley Hill Community Forum to prepare their objections against the appeal.
He encouraged members of the community to submit their own objections against the proposals, describing them as damaging.
He said: "The council is firmly standing by its decision and, for the past few months, I have been working with fellow directors on the Brierley Hill Community Forum to prepare our objections against the appeal.
"Members of the public and local businesses can also submit their objections to the Planning Inspectorate to strengthen the argument we have spent the last few years making and ensure that Dudley Council's decision to reject the proposal doesn't get overturned.
"Please consider submitting your own objection to support our argument against this damaging proposal from the owners of the Moor Centre."
To make an objection by March 17, go to acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk and search for case 3308116.
Evolve Estates, which owns the Moor Centre, said it was still working to ensure the centre offered the best facilities for the local community.
Adam Davies, asset manager at Evolve Estates, which is part of M Core – one of the largest, privately held commercial property portfolios in the UK, said: “Evolve Estates is committed to investing in high street retail, and the Moor Centre in Brierley Hill forms a key part of our retail portfolio.
"We know how important the centre is to the local community and we are keen to ensure it provides much-needed facilities on their doorstep.
“We have worked tirelessly with the local council to improve the range of tenants in recent months, and have renewed leases for Iceland, Poundland and Card Factory, along with new lettings to Merkur Slots, Forces Support and Tiffany Nails.
"We have also worked with public health officials at the council to bring a mobile, pop-up Covid-19 and flu vaccination clinic there.
“While we were disappointed that planning permission was refused by the committee last year, we remain unwavering in our commitment to investing in the Moor Centre so we can continue to provide the excellent facilities the local community needs.”
