Dudley Council leader doubles down on desire to protect green belt land in the borough

Councillor Patrick Harley was speaking at the Triangle, an area of green belt land in the Kingswinford and Wall Heath area which had been earmarked for more than 500 homes.

The plans have been excluded from the latest version of the Dudley Plan, a blueprint which sets out where new homes and businesses should be built up to 2041.

The plan states that Dudley can meet the majority of its housing need in urban areas and on brownfield sites. It concludes “exceptional circumstances” are not triggered to justify green belt release for new housing development. Under the plan, five brownfield sites have been identified as 'priority' for housing and are expected to deliver nearly 2,000 of the 11,954 homes needed by 2041.

More than 200 responses have been received to a recent consultation from borough residents and stakeholders. A national announcement on government planning policy also supported councils that are reluctant to allocate development in the green belt.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in December says there is 'no requirement' for green belt boundaries to be reviewed or changed to meet housing need.

Councillor Harley said: “We have beautiful green spaces in our borough, and I have always been adamant that we should look to protect them if we are able to do so.

“Our brownfield first approach to development has been vindicated, both in the responses we have had from residents and the recent announcement from the government.

“It has saved green spaces like the one here at the Triangle, and at Corbett Meadow, to be enjoyed by future generations.

“We will bring the next stage of the plan for a further public consultation later this year, before the plan is submitted to government in 2025 for an independent examination.”

There are two sites in Brierley Hill, with 300 homes earmarked for Daniels Land/The Embankment and 600 on land at Waterfront Way/Level Street.

In Dudley town centre, 120 homes are proposed for King Street/Flood Street and 280 for the Portersfield site on Trindle Road/Hall Street.

In addition, it pledges to allocate Corbett Meadow as a Local Greenspace designation to protect it for future generations.

The stages for the development of the plan can be found at dudley.gov.uk/residents/planning/planning-policy/dudley-local-plan.