Dudley councillors are calling for urgent action to put Halesowen's heritage attractions on the map, with a report requested by the end of 2026 to outline a clear plan for the Leasowes Green Gateway Project.
Cllr Parmjit Sahota, who represents the Halesowen North ward, invited top officers from the authority to the area to kick start regeneration and encourage tourism. Representatives from Halesowen say the region has been left behind while other attractions get high profile promotion.
Council officers urged to prepare urgent tourism report
Cllr Sahota said: "For far too long Dudley Council has focussed on other parts of the borough for promoting economic regeneration and tourism. However, Halesowen has one of one of the three high quality employment zones with high profile manufacturing engineering companies in it. The town centre is a successful Business Improvement District and Halesowen in Bloom has won numerous national and global awards."
Cllr Sahota is using his role as chair of the council's Communities and Growth Scrutiny Committee to push forward The Leasowes Green Gateway Project which will drive development. The first mission for the project will be to secure funding for a visitors' centre at The Leasowes.
Cllr Sahota said: "I have agreed with senior officers for the need for the council to progress the Leasowes Green Gateway Project with some urgency and requested a report be brought back by the end of 2026 which provides a clear plan on how to progress this key project."
Heritage sites 'left behind' while others get promotion
Cllr Hilary Bills added: "In terms of heritage and leisure, Halesowen is blessed by having The Leasowes, an English Heritage listed garden, Halesowen Abbey Trust and their work on protecting the countryside and the Leasowes Walled Garden, Coombeswood Canal Trust at the Hawne Basin, Halesowen Golf Club and the Coombeswood Green Wedge."
Cllr Sahota is also calling for more to be done to ensure people know what Halesowen has to offer, especially on the key route from junction three of the M5.
Cllr Sahota said: "When we visited the junction with the senior directors, it was quite embarrassing to see tourist signs for the safari park and steam train in Kidderminster, yet no brown and white signs for our heritage and leisure attractions in Halesowen and Stourbridge. It's also worrying that the Discover Dudley tourist brochure has no mention of our heritage attractions."
The Leasowes Green Gateway Project will drive development, with the first mission being to secure funding for a visitors' centre at The Leasowes. The report requested by Cllr Sahota is expected to provide a clear plan on how to progress this key project by the end of 2026.
