Watchdog slates Sandwell renewal

by Nancy Wainscoat, Planning 02-Sep-05

Plans for a site that aims to be a catalyst for regeneration in Birmingham and Sandwell's housing market renewal (HMR) area have been slammed by the government's design watchdog.

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) design
panel condemned proposals for the flagship Cape Hill Brewery site in a
report last week. It concluded that the plans fail to set a high

benchmark for HMR homes and neighbourhoods in the Urban Living

pathfinder project.

Landowner Coors, developer Persimmon Homes and Sandwell Metropolitan
Borough Council worked together to formulate proposals for the former
brewery in Smethwick. The scheme, which was granted outline planning
permission last December, will provide 900 homes.

But the CABE report laments the plan's failure to meet urban design and
architecture standards. It claims that the proposed homes fail to
integrate with existing housing and slates the provision of open space
as inadequate.

It also criticises the highway design for prioritising vehicles over
pedestrians.

The council argued that it has ensured that the project's design quality
will exceed previous developments in the borough. Supplementary planning
guidance and a planning and development brief on residential design and
community safety were produced as part of the planning process, it
pointed out.

Sandwell cabinet member for regeneration and transport Bob Badham said:
"It is perhaps unfortunate that CABE chose to review previously
established principles, together with already out-of-date plans, to
which much of the criticism refers."

He added: "The local authority, Persimmon and Urban Living are all
confident that CABE's concerns, where appropriate, will be addressed
through the ongoing dialogue on design as the detailed submission for
the wider site is considered."