Following competitive tender, BFF were awarded the contract for preparing the 2040 Vision for Bromsgrove Town Centre. The town is the largest centre within the Bromsgrove District and offers opportunities for redevelopment and regeneration, providing the ability to consider new and alternative options not based on the traditional ‘retail’ and shopping experiences, but rather offering potential solutions to diversify the offer for those living and visiting the town.

BFF’s Masterplan included a strategic analysis of the local town centre, and suggested a variety of potential uses, including commercial and community, to provide a sustainable future for the buildings and main development sites identified.

The Bromsgrove Vision 2040 study has now been adopted and detailed proposals are being developed by commercial partners for the first phase of sites highlighted as strategic opportunities.

BFF considered the Strategic Context through:

• Analysis of key challenges and opportunities;

• Exploring future potential;

• Identifying key aspirations, that include a town centre that is adaptable and resilient to change and will support the future development of the area;

• Considering how to provide the right level of services to meet the needs of the residents and businesses;

• Referencing previous (excellent) studies, updated to a Post-COVID climate.

Our report included an analysis of context and history and established key opportunities for regeneration and redevelopment. We’ve also looked to highlight specific needs to be addressed such as:

• Provision of services (breadth and blend);

• Drivers for users visiting the town centre;

• Transportation issues (high level);

• Market opportunities and their commercial viability.

To achieve this we:

• Consulted with the community and stakeholders to inform the scope of works;

• Identified issues with movement and connectivity through and across the town centre with consideration given to accessibility;

• Developed a Masterplan including Primary and Secondary Development Opportunities;

• Produced option appraisals for key sites to determine Preferred Options;

• Consulted with community on the conclusions we developed to ideas.

Our report considers strategic approaches to re-vision and re-position the town centre by:

• Developing a vision that helps to create an inclusive, vibrant and resilient town centre;

• Identifying key Primary Development sites and providing ideas on how these could be used;

• Providing commentary on public realm intervention sites and providing ideas on how these could be improved;

• Identifying Secondary Development sites to reinforce the town centre boundaries and further increase residential accommodation within the town centre, to extend its use beyond traditional ‘working’ hours and requirements and potential options for land assembly by looking at a number of infill sites that could be united to provide a single site for potentially more comprehensive redevelopment;

• Acknowledging the impact of Covid-19 and the market trend towards flexible and co-working uses by embracing existing transport links;

• Supporting the five motives for change to help frame the outcomes required for the new Local Transport Plan 5 (LTP5) and the need for behavioural change to progress described by the ‘avoid, shift, improve’ framework.