Council takes steps to acquire land in Horsefair

An eyesore parcel of land in Horsefair, Kidderminster, could be redeveloped for housing under a plan being put forward by Wyre Forest District Council.

The council is taking steps to acquire the site of the old post office at the corner of Radford Avenue and Blackwell Street as part of a regeneration scheme for the area.

By combining the post office site with adjoining land owned by the council, the site could be redeveloped for new homes and business use.

Members of Wyre Forest District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee will consider a report setting out the proposals when they meet on Thursday 1 March 2018. A final decision will be taken by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 27 March.

Councillor Ian Hardiman, Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration said: “This site has been an eyesore for many years now and is a very unattractive gateway into Kidderminster and undermines the hard work that local groups are putting in to improving the Horsefair area.

“The council is intent on making sure that it uses its brownfield land actively for redevelopment, especially on sites such as this. We have the opportunity to create a small development site if this land is combined with our own fronting Radford Avenue.

“We are hoping that we can acquire the land from the landowner through private treaty, but if that fails we are prepared to consider the use of compulsory purchase, a route that the government is keen to see councils use more as a means to increase the supply of land for new housing.”

The council has made an offer for the land and is currently awaiting a response from the owner.

For more information view the meeting agenda here.