Object

Representation ID: 18358

Received: 10/10/2021

Respondent: Nigel McDonald

I strongly object to building houses within the green belt.
The level of housing requirement is not justified and the Black Country Authorities should be using more up to date figures.
The housing numbers and the location requirements for the housing is out of date and doesn't take into consideration the change in requirements and new shopping trends in a post Covid world. Many city and town centres will need rejuventating with many shops and offices becoming vacant and these can be converted into accomodation.
In light of the changes caused by covid to working practices and the increase in internet shopping there is no special case justification for building on the green belt. It may be that some managed contraction of retail space could create centres which are sustainable in the longer term, linked to new housing in centres.
Housing numbers can be met by carefull urban rejeneration schemes which will also encourage people to live close to the employment centres and thereby reduce the pollution/conjestion caused by commuting to work.
Our government has set a target to build 300,000 dwellings per annum nationally, this is purely a politcialy derived number and had no scientific basis.
We shouldn't be building within the greenbelt to hit house build targets that are both out of date and politically motivated. Our green belt is there for a specific reason and we should be protecting it.