Black Country convenience store plan rejected on lack of parking
An application for a convenience store in Brierley Hill was refused after planners found a lack of parking provision.
Dudley Council had been asked to approve a retrospective application for use of premises on Dudley Road as general grocery and convenience store.
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Planners rejected the application because plans showed eight onsite parking spaces while council parking standards require around 24 spaces for a unit of the size in the proposal.
In delivering their conclusion, Michael Brereton, Dudley director of development and regulation, said: “This underprovision, together with the constrained forecourt layout would lead to parking displacement, unsafe manoeuvring and conflict between vehicles and pedestrians.”
The site does have permission as a retail premises but is limited to ‘the sale of vintage retro collectables, antique and local craft items with only a small ancillary tea rooms’.”
A previous application to remove the restrictions was refused in 2025 and an appeal against the rejection was dismissed later in the same year.
A statement from Price Planning Associates in support of the application argued the application does not add floorspace to the existing 661 square metres and proposals also include measures to improve the appearance of the building.
The statement said: “We do not consider that further parking provision is a requirement for this existing use because the site is in a sustainable location where all shops and services are located within walking distance and public transport is available to all via bus routes.
“The scheme would be unlikely to increase the demand for on-street parking in the area as it is intended to serve existing staff, and any demand could be adequately accommodated on nearby car parks surrounding the site.”
The statement also says closure of the store would result in the loss of four full-time and four part-time jobs.
An objection on behalf of Brierley Hill Community Forum said: “Customers of convenience retail premises will be tending to pop in and out of the shop all day and therefore there will be a much higher number of vehicle movements.
“The higher the number of vehicle movements the more potential there is for a collision caused by vehicles reversing into Victoria Street.”
