Support
Black Country Core Strategy Issue and Option Report
Representation ID: 241
Received: 07/09/2017
Respondent: Mr and Mrs Margaret and William Potter
The review should be partial because it is based on the assumption that there has suddenly been a significant increase in the demand for employment sites since the recession. There is no evidence presented to show that the population has grown and the document assumes that the new transport links will boost employment which is pure speculation. It also assumes that the Black Country authority will totally fulfil its so called 'duty' to accommodate Birmingham's housing needs. The joint Core Strategy was introduced in 2011 and when all the facts are known the policy should be revisited.
It should be a partial review because shortly there will need to be another. Why? Para 1.1 states that within the three years from 2008 to 2011 'the national economic situation has also changed'. Did it suddenly change in three years? No. The UK has still not recovered from the recession and this particular review is based on speculation. It is based on a number of assumptions. Firstly, that employment will continue to grow and that the brownfield sites formerly assigned for housing will not be available. Secondly, that the population will grow without giving any specific evidence in the document (Table 1 Page 18). Thirdly, that new transport links, HS2 and the Midland Metro, will have a 'significant impact on the Black Country within the timeframe of this plan'. HS2 is not even scheduled to be open by 2027 and only two extensions to the Metro have been planned, one just a mile across to Birmingham's Broad Street. My last point is that a 'housing shortfall has been identified in Birmingham which neighbouring authorities have a duty to consider accommodating'. What if the Black Country authority does not wish to accommodate this so-called housing need?