Dear sir/madam

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the above consultation. Our views on the consultation are as follows:

Question 3 (housing need & supply)
* Welcome the commitment to address the Objectively Assessed Housing Need for the Black Country in full and to test a contribution towards the shortfall in the Greater Birmingham & Black Country housing market area
* Recognise and support the commitment to investigate the potential for increased densities in strategic and town centres to contribute to the supply. This should recognise the opportunity for delivering smaller housing units to address market needs
* Recognise and support the commitment to investigating the potential for the re-use of employment land to meet housing needs

Question 6 (key issues)
* Recognise the commitment to working in partnership with neighbouring local authorities in the consultation document and the work that has already been undertaken and is on-going
* Welcome the commitment to continuing this engagement and close working on issues of cross-boundary significance, which should include the wider housing need within the housing market area

Question 12 (Spatial Options 1A & 1B)
* Recognise and support the intention to meet housing needs by 'rounding off' the green belt, whilst acknowledging that this is unlikely to be sufficient to address the full Objectively Assessed Housing Need

Question 13 (Spatial Options 2A Housing H1 & H2)
* Recognise and support the intention to meet housing needs by identifying large sustainable urban extensions in the green belt
* Strongly encourage the identification of sustainable urban extensions to help meet the Black Country and wider requirement given that this is likely to be essential if housing needs are to be met. This should include investigating the potential of any areas of search identified in the Strategic Growth Locations Study, including with neighbouring authorities where relevant.

I hope you find the above comments useful.