Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Aug-Sept 97

Merry Hill Shopping Centre

Squabbles at Merry Hill, the giant road-served shopping centre in the Borough of Dudley emerged in June. The Merry Hill owners complained that the shop staff use the car park. By filling spaces, free for customers, their vehicles keep out the trade. The owners advised the staff to park elsewhere and to walk or catch a bus to Merry Hill. Tabs would be kept on cars, and the registration numbers of employees recorded.

A further development came with a proposal from the owners to extend their nearby Waterfront office development. The Waterfront development would, it is claimed, create a High Street at Brierley Hill. Presumably this would be a High Street similar to the ones closed as a result of Merry Hill?

Merry Hill shopping centre had sought to expand. Friends of the Earth campaigned against the further extension on the grounds that the existing provision generated car journeys. The intensity of the car flows to the shops are already considered a problem - road widening started a few weeks ago.

In July, the proposed expansion of Merry Hill was refused. It was a decision received with relief by councillors in Wolverhampton and by Wyre Forest MP David Lock. The magnet of free parking has drawn motorists from miles around - at the expense of existing shops closer to their homes. Merry Hill's gain is everywhere else's gain in fumes.

Dudley's self destruct mechanism is still switched on. Councillor Hunt, a man who always likes to have the last word, spelled out the consequences of the Government's decision to quash the £100 million expansion. He said that Merry Hill owner Chelsfield had pledged £6.75 million to help improve other town centres - if the expansion went ahead ... make of that what you will!

John Davison