RESIDENTS have expressed mixed feelings about a new planning application for the development of a community pavilion and four-storey commercial building at Bromsgrove’s Old Market Hall site.
The planning application, submitted by architecture firm One Creative Environments on behalf of Bromsgrove District Council aims to transform the site into a community pavilion and commercial complex of two buildings with offices, shops, food and beverage venues and an open public space.
The community pavilion is proposed as a centre for youth groups or local schools.
The development, which would make use of central government Leveling Up funding, has been both praised and scrutinised on many fronts.
Proposals have been commended for considerations of sustainable development including the installation of solar panels and plans to ‘daylight’ Spadesbourne Brook – which currently flows underneath the site – so that it runs through the public space.
However, many residents have questioned how realistic it is to believe the site will attract office tenants due to a lack of parking provision within the plans, a distance of 1.4 miles to Bromsgrove railway station and high traffic congestion in the town centre.
The site is, however, only 0.2 miles from Bromsgrove’s bus station. Cycle parking and pedestrian cycle routes have been included in the landscape design.
Residents were also quick to point out an already large number of unoccupied retail spaces along the high street, which they say begs the question of whether more retail offerings are needed.
The lack of parking provision to accommodate increased visitors to the retail and hospitality offerings has also been scrutinised.
The historic market site is just one of 10 possible locations for development under the council’s town centre regeneration plans.
All of the council’s regeneration plans, including the market hall site, aim to be respective of the historic architecture already present within the town.
Residents can currently comment on the proposals via the planning application.
Visit https://publicaccess.bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search 23/01121/FUL for more information.
