| 18.1 Bearwood shopping centre comprises a ribbon of shops running mainly along Bearwood Road. The core of the centre is located south of the Sandon Road/Three Shires Oak Road cross- roads. A foodstore was opened in 1980, now Safeway. The centre is close to the Birmingham boundary and draws its shopping catchment partly from within the city boundary. Bearwood is a thriving town centre and performs well in its standing as an important centre for the Borough. The Hillier Parker study, ‘An Assessment of Retail Provision in the Borough ’outlined the following: - Vacancies in the shopping centre are below the national average;
- The centre has a high footfall and generally appears to be vibrant;
- There is a high level of demand for Bearwood from retailers.
18.2 In addition, the Sandwell 1995 Shopping Survey makes the following observations: - For Sandwell residents, Bearwood ranks third in the Borough for food shopping, after West Bromwich and Oldbury. However, this understates its true size, as part of its catchment area is within Birmingham, which may add another 20-25%;
- Unlike many of Sandwell's other district centres, Bearwood has increased its share of the food shopping trade since 1990;
- As a centre for clothes and electrical goods, Bearwood ranks similarly to Oldbury and Wednesbury among Sandwell residents. Bearwood attracts a broadly similar proportion of shoppers for electrical goods as for household furnishings.
18.3 The main Bearwood Road is congested with vehicular traffic, which causes danger, pollution and inconvenience for shoppers. However, this through-traffic is beneficial to the centre in that it creates passing trade.  18.4 The shopping centre is a busy, thriving shopping centre serving local needs. There is a wide range of facilities available within the main centre of Bearwood, including leisure uses, such as a bingo hall, social clubs, pubs, cafes and restaurants, service uses, such as hairdressers, opticians, dentists and doctors, convenience stores to suit the local need and supermarkets. There is a mixture of non-retail, service and retail uses which appear to complement each other. 18.5 Away from the retail core, along Three Shires Oak Road, there are a number of shop premises which have a predominantly local shopping function. This area provides the day-to-day convenience shopping for local residents who do not wish to venture into the retail core. The local shopping area contains small and single shops, local health facilities, welfare and other services. 18.6 It is important to promote mixed-use development within Bearwood. As a large town centre in the Borough, Bearwood is already following the lines of an urban village, with its thriving centre containing facilities for local needs. There are also a number of residential flats above the shops and offices, within the centre, as well as a small amount of vacant units. Bearwood has a low vacancy rate for shop units. Offices are one of the high density uses that are encouraged within the town centre and it is unlikely that any new office development will impair the shopping function of the centre. 18.7 As with the majority of the Borough, there are few Council-owned leisure facilities within the centre. However, there are sports and leisure facilities within a short distance, for example, Thimblemill Baths and Hadley Stadium. The centre also has a number of medical and dental facilities. 
18.8 The main centre of Bearwood is linear, with a busy main road cutting the area in two, making it difficult for less mobile people. There could be some merit in trying to identify any potential alternative routes for through-traffic. However, there are pedestrian crossings making crossing the road a little easier. Both the shopping centre and the surrounding residential area is well-served by public transport. Bearwood bus-station has been considerably improved in recent years and has a number of facilities, including toilets. The only public car park in the centre of Bearwood is adjacent to the bus-station, making on-street parking a necessity. However, there are a number of private car parks serving local shops, for example Safeway, Kwik Save and T. C. Hayes. 18.9 Despite improvements to the shopping area in the form of block pavers and bollards, and some improvements to the shop fronts, the busy and congested nature of the centre does not provide a safe and attractive environment. There seems to be little scope for landscaping, although hanging baskets and window boxes would be appropriate. The area may also benefit from shop front policies and some urban design policies. Pedestrianisation is also out of the question due to the linear nature of the centre and the surrounding residential area directly backing on to the centre. However, there may be scope for traffic management in conjunction with Birmingham City Council. 18.10 To summarise, the centre serves the local population well and is accessible by foot to a large proportion of the surrounding population. However, those people travelling to and from the centre by car experience problems with traffic congestion.
Policies for the Retail Core 18.11 This part of the centre has a predominantly retail function, with few other uses present. Further along Bearwood Road towards Cape Hill and along Three Shires Oak Road, the predominant uses begin to change with an increasing number of leisure, service and restaurant/take-aways present. It is possible to be more flexible as to the types of use in these areas. 18.12 Within the centre, there are a number of blocks of buildings which have a great deal of architectural interest which give the centre its character. The Bear Hotel on Bearwood Road is directly in the centre of the town and provides a focal point for entertainment. There are other blocks and individual buildings which may be worthy of preservation. 18.13 As this inset falls within an Area of Potential Archaeological Importance, any proposals will be assessed against the policies for Conservation and Heritage, in particular Policy C11 - Archaeology and Development Proposals. It will also be appropriate to liaise with the Borough Archaeologist before submitting any applications for planning permission.
Bearwood is designated a Town Centre within which major retail development will be concentrated. 18.14 It is the Council's intention that Bearwood should continue to function as such a centre providing a range of facilities and services and to act as a focus for the community and for public transport. Definitions of Town Centres within Sandwell are included within Shopping and the Role of Centres chapter of the UDP. 18.15 The policies for Bearwood Town Centre take into account the various policy directions contained within PPGs 1, 6 and 13 and RPG11 (Regional Planning Guidance). They cover issues such as the need for sustainable development, mixed-use developments, good urban design and reducing reliance on the private car. 18.16 When assessing proposals for retail development within Bearwood, the sequential test contained within PPG6 will be applied, with locations within the Retail Core being considered first.
New retail development will be encouraged to locate within The Retail Core. Applications to convert properties to retail premises will be encouraged. 18.17 The Council will make every effort to attract further retail units, service uses and leisure and recreational uses into the centre. The Council will maintain the retail function of the centre, while still ensuring that the centre remains as vibrant and attractive as possible. This can be achieved by introducing some non-retail activity into the centre, particularly to stimulate the use of the centre during the evening.
Within the retail core, changes of use at ground floor level to non- retail uses (Class A2 or A3) will not be permitted where the proposals will undermine the dominant retail function of the centre. 18.18 There is a danger that where units become vacant in town centres, that they are filled by A3 uses, which can be detrimental to the centre during the day. Therefore, all applications for Hot Food Take-Aways will be determined in accordance with the Development Control Guidelines -Hot Food Take-Aways within the Borough's Centres. 18.19 However, it is not the intention of the Council to restrict pubs, restaurants and cafes as they provide valuable facilities within the town centres, both during the day and into the evening.
All applications for development within the mixed-use area will be judged on its own merits and in conjunction with the appropriate Development Control Policy. Appropriate uses in this area include retail, leisure, food and drink, community and residential development. 18.20 By being more flexible in the number of non-retail uses in this area, it is hoped to reduce the vacancy rate and improve the appearance of this part of the centre. An increase in leisure uses in this part of the centre will help to maintain the centre's vitality.
Planning and Design Briefs will be prepared for all large sites that become available for development.
Developers will be encouraged to enter into pre-application discussions with the Council before development of any sites, large or small. All proposals must have regard to existing built form. 18.21 The development of vacant sites and buildings will be encouraged as a means of attracting investment and enhancing the attractiveness of the area. However, as well as being an appropriate use, new development will need to integrate fully with the town centre. The Victorian and Edwardian architecture found within Bearwood Town Centre should not deter proposals for high quality, modern developments constructed from high quality materials.
Opportunities to improve the town centre environment will be pursued through new development and other funding routes. 18.22 The Council will make every effort to provide a good quality environment within the town centre of Bearwood. It is the Council's intention to attract and retain investment within the centre by pursuing funding that will: - Improve the condition of the existing buildings;
- Improve the design and quality of new buildings;
- Improve and increase public facilities;
- Improve public spaces within The Retail Core.
The Council will assist with the expansion of the Living Above the Shop Scheme by encouraging and approving appropriate planning applications for residential uses in first floors, particularly within the town centre. 18.23 It is recognised that there are a number of first floors above shops that are currently vacant and in some cases are falling into disrepair. The Living Above the Shop Scheme aims to increase the number of residential properties in Bearwood Centre and bring those first floors back into beneficial use. This not only keeps the buildings in a better state of repair, it increases the security of the centre after normal working hours. Consideration will need to be given to the amenities of such residential accommodation.
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