Controversial green belt plans to come under scrutiny at key meeting

The Black Country Plan will be debated by scrutiny chiefs at Dudley Council at a meeting on October 6, and members of the public are being urged to attend and air their views.

It takes place before a heavily criticised consultation on the draft plan comes to an end on October 11.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "We have made it clear that we want to give people every opportunity to have their say on these important plans, and next week’s scrutiny committee is just one of the ways we are doing that.

"Here at Dudley Council we have stressed many times that we will leave no stone unturned in identifying brownfield land to protect our greenbelt as much as we can, but it is important to hear the views of local people as well."

The four Black Country councils have come under fire for signing off on the draft plan, which will see dozens of green belt sites across the region transformed into housing estates.

Council leaders say they have been given no choice but to allocate green belt land for more than 7,000 homes due to unrealistic housing targets set by the Government.

They have pledged to lobby ministers in a bid to get a reduction in the current target of around 77,000 homes over the next 20 years.

Residents across the borough have formed campaign groups in a bid to stop green belt development, while many have branded the consultation a sham.

The Future Council scrutiny committee will take place on October 6 at Dudley Town Hall, St James’s Road, from 6pm. Residents can have their say during the public forum session of the agenda.

People are encouraged to wear a face mask when they arrive and numbers allowed inside the building will be limited. The meeting will also be broadcast live on the council’s You Tube channel.

Comments on the plan are being accepted via email at blackcountryplan@dudley.gov.uk.