Object

Black Country Core Strategy Issue and Option Report

Representation ID: 510

Received: 08/09/2017

Respondent: Dr Baljit Bhandal

Agent: Harris Lamb

Representation Summary:

We consider that Option 1A is to be preferred to strategic Option 1B. That said, we believe there continues to be an over reliance upon brownfield sites in the existing housing supply and there is also an over reliance on brownfield windfalls in estimating future housing supply. We consider that overall the greenfield requirement should be increased to ensure delivery. Greenfield sites are typically less constrained than their brownfield alternative and, unlike a significant number of its active occupied employment sites allocated for housing by the adopted Core Strategy; they are available for development now.

Full text:

We consider that Option 1A is to be preferred to strategic Option 1B. That said, we believe there continues to be an over reliance upon brownfield sites in the existing housing supply and there is also an over reliance on brownfield windfalls in estimating future housing supply. We consider that overall the greenfield requirement should be increased to ensure delivery. Greenfield sites are typically less constrained than their brownfield alternative and, unlike a significant number of its active occupied employment sites allocated for housing by the adopted Core Strategy; they are available for development now.