Black Country Plan – new consultation

Last summer the Black Country Authorities of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton consulted on a Draft Black Country Plan (BCP). The BCP identified where all new employment and housing development would be located and where investment for new infrastructure such as transport, schools and health facilities would be made. Following a review of the consultation responses, three additional sites in Walsall are now considered potentially suitable for housing. These three sites are now subject to a formal public consultation before the BCP can move to the next stage of consultation. Five other new sites in Walsall submitted during the 2021 consultation have been subject to site assessment and are considered not suitable for housing.

The three proposed sites comprise two strategic sites and a smaller site, which will total approx. 800 dwellings in total. The Black Country authorities confirm that at this stage, they are only seeking views on the three additional sites in Walsall now considered potentially suitable for housing and that they are analysing all consultation responses submitted in summer 2021 on the Draft BCP - these responses do not need to be submitted again. In addition, any responses that relate to sites or aspects covered by the 2021 Draft BCP Consultation will not be considered.

The consultation runs from Monday 11th July 2022 until 5.00pm on Monday 5th September 2022. The consultation documents can be found here - https://blackcountryplan.dudley.gov.uk/t2/p7/

The latest BCP timetable is set out below –