Andy Street: Dudley Council must protect Halesowen greenbelt
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has today called on a Black Country council to rule out building on green belt for new homes and industry.
Mr Street has asked if Dudley Council can agree that no countryside in Halesowen will be built on.
Campaigners fear the green belt will make way for development needed in the Black Country as the population soars.
But Dudley Council leader Patrick Harley said he could not promise open land in the area would not be built on.
During the election campaign, Tory mayor Mr Street said he favoured protecting greenbelt where possible and instead development should be built on brownfield sites.
Around 22,000 homes and 300 hectares for industrial use are needed in the Black Country by 2036, according to a planning document called the Black Country Core Strategy.
Campaign group Halesowen Abbey Trust fears countryside in the south of Halesowen will accommodate around 6,000 homes and 75 hectares of industry, or a quarter of the overall total.
In a letter to Patrick Harley, leader of the Conservative-led Dudley Council, Mr Street said: "I recognise well the very considerable pressure all West Midlands local authorities are under to meet future housing needs.
"We are both committed to the policy of 'brownfield' first. I hope that a judgement on the value and effectiveness of 'greenbelt' can be applied.
"I support the views of the Halesowen Abbey Trust that the land they refer to is of particular importance, providing a valuable local amenity as well as beautiful green space. Therefore I very much hope that Dudley Council will be able to agree that no 'exceptional circumstance' condition will be met, and that the land can continue to enjoy the protection it warrants."
Dudley Council previously said a review of the green belt will likely start in January, where planners will identify potential sites.
Asked if the council could 'agree' green belt will not be built on, councillor Harley said: "Not at the moment, we haven't finished the review. It has to go through the due process.
"People have to be a little patient, (we can't say) until the consultation is reported back to Cabinet in February.
"I can't second guess what the result of the consultation will be."
Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris has also backed campaigners.
Mick Freer, leader of the trust, said: "We have Andy Street's support and that of James Morris. We hope that their lead will encourage other politicians to follow suit. Andy and James do not have the authority to stop this, but councillors do."
