Churchfields urban village moves a step closer

Proposals to redevelop Churchfields and create a new urban village in Kidderminster are set to take a major step forward later this month.

Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet will be meeting on Tuesday 26 March to push forward with plans to free up land to create a new highway as part of the Churchfields Masterplan.

The plan, agreed in 2011, involves building new homes and major road improvements including remodelling the gyratory at Horsefair, making Blackwell Street one way, creating a new Link Road access from the A456 Ringway roundabout through to Churchfields. There will also be a dedicated Left in Left Out ( LILO ) length and weight restricted access to Clensmore Street off the Ringway.

Plans to complete the site rely on using three sections of Wyre Forest District Council land for highway improvements.

Kidderminster Property Investments received the green light in November 2018 by the Planning Committee to build 300 new houses on the former Tomkinsons Carpets site and adjoining land.

The cost to complete the project is estimated to be £6m with funding coming from the Worcestershire and Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnerships and £2.7m following a successful Housing Infrastructure Bid in February 2018.

Councillor Nathan Desmond, Cabinet Member for Resources at Wyre Forest District Council said: “I’m delighted we are moving forward with plans set out in 2011. We are another step closer to bringing the Churchfields Masterplan to life and redeveloping the land and buildings to create much needed homes in the district.

“The council is happy to make some of its land available to help facilitate such an important project. We have worked hard to secure significant external funding to implement the new highway works and we are hopeful that work will commence this summer.”

Councillor Ken Pollock, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure at Worcestershire County Council, said: "It's really encouraging news that this ambitious scheme, that will see around 300 new homes developed in a priority housing location, is taking a step closer to being delivered. Worcestershire has one of the fastest growing economies in the country and this development will help to give the surrounding area a boost as well as supporting the local housing need."

(Image shows from left to right: Councillor Ken Pollock, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure at Worcestershire County Council and Councillor Nathan Desmond, Cabinet Member for Resources at Wyre Forest District Council).