1,000 homes for South Staffordshire

Bosses at South Staffordshire District Council say the homes are needed to cater for increased housing demand over the next 15 years.

And they say the proposals will give residents and officials more say over where in the district new homes will be built.

Because there is a Government drive for new houses, officials say if they don't come up with a set of proposals to meet demand then unplanned schemes could secure approval.

They have also pledged to protect green belt land where possible.

The bulk of the new homes will be placed in Bilbrook, Brewood, Cheslyn Hay, Codsall, Great Wyrley, Kinver, Penkridge, Perton and Wombourne.

Residents are being asked to give their views on where in each village the new developments should be placed.

Council chiefs say they think less than one per cent of the land used will be green belt and even then that will only happen if there is no other choice.

A series of exhibitions will also be held across the district where people will have the chance to speak to officers about the plans, discuss the sites and get more information.

Bob McCardle, strategic services boss at South Staffordshire Council, said responses from the community were vital to help the authority whittle down the number of prospective sites for development.

"The new homes will be situated in the main villages of the district

"This is about putting the right homes in the right places at the right time.

"House prices in the district are way above the national and regional average and we run the risk of forcing local people, especially young families who have lived in the district all their lives, out of the area because there simply aren't enough homes."

Mr McCardle said the authority was aiming to shortlist the preferred sites for development by the end of this year, before submitting the proposals for inspection by the Government's planning inspectorate.

Andrew Johnson, director of planning and strategic services at the authority, said; "We are aiming to control the planning so the developments are phased in rather than building new homes en masse.

"Protecting green belt land is a key priority for us and, as such, we will be looking to develop less than one per cent of green belt land – and even that will be a last resort."

As part of the consultation, 15 exhibitions will be held over the coming weeks.