Fresh hope in Black Country green belt housing fight
Swathes of the region's green belt can be saved from developers by building homes on untapped brownfield sites, a new report is set to claim.
The Express & Star understands the West Midlands Mayor's long-awaited brownfield review will conclude that old industrial sites have not been fully utilised for housing.
It is expected to say that thousands of homes can be built on brownfield sites, many of which have already been identified but have not been built on to capacity.
It will raise questions over claims from Black Country local authorities that all available brownfield land has been exhausted.
The report is set to be published in the coming weeks after it is signed off by council chiefs. It was launched last year after the publication of the draft Black Country Plan (BCP), which has earmarked more than 7,700 homes for green belt sites.
The plan sparked a wave of protests across the four boroughs, with campaigns launched to save much-loved sites including Calderfields West in Walsall, Holbeache Lane in Kingswinford and the old Brandhall golf course in Sandwell.
Mayor Andy Street has highlighted protecting the region's green belt as one of his key priorities.
He said in December: "I am absolutely determined that once the report is published we can then have an amendment to the draft plan that will see more brownfield sites put forward."
The next stage of the BCP – dubbed the publication plan – is set to be published in early autumn. Once approved by the four councils it will go out for consultation.
