2,000 homes needed to satisfy Walsall demand
An extra 2,000 homes need to be built in Walsall to cope with demand, it has emerged.
Sites across the borough are now being looked at for potential residential use over the coming years.
Thousands of new homes are already in the pipeline but more are needed to meet the requirements for almost 12,000 properties.
It forms part of the Black Country Core Strategy (BCCS) and a site action plan being drawn up by Walsall Council.
Land at the former Goscote estate is being lined up for more than 300 new properties along with the old Harvestime Bakery for almost 90 homes.
A report to the council states: "Ensuring that sufficient land is allocated for housing to meet the needs of our communities is a key objective of this plan.
"The Black Country Core Strategy states that sufficient land will be provided across the Black Country to deliver at least 63,000 net new homes over the period 2006-2026.
"Of these, the BCCS indicates that 11,973 can be accommodated in Walsall.
"As at April 2015, 5,238 of these homes had already been completed and 669 were under construction.
"A further 4,034 homes had planning permission but had not yet commenced construction. This means that sites to accommodate at least 2,032 homes still need to be found in addition to those that have already been granted planning permission.
"The site allocation seeks to allocate land to accommodate many of these additional homes, as well as confirm which land that already has planning permission for residential development should be safeguarded for this purpose."
Council leader Mike Bird said housing also leads to extra council tax revenue and there was also a high demand. "You can build as many as you like and they all get sold," he said.
A series of homes are already being lined up including recent approval for 60 apartments in Bloxwich.
A four-storey block will be created for over-55s on land in Carl Street under plans by Walsall Housing Group with 66 one and two-bedroom apartments in the pipeline.
The housing association has drawn up a masterplan for almost 600 homes around the borough in the next three years.
More than 40 homes are also being built at the prominent Walsall Waterfront in the heart of the town.
It is a partnership with developer Jessup, and the scheme is expected to be completed in March 2016.
