Outline planning permission has been submitted to build up to 200 homes on a green belt site in Walsall. Developer St Philips aims to create a new housing estate off Chester Road in Streetly, adjacent to Planters Pacific Garden Centre.
The proposed development would involve demolishing existing structures and establishing a public open space for community use. Vehicular access to the site is planned via Chester Road, featuring a ghost island to facilitate safe right turns onto the estate.
Importantly, 40 percent of the new homes are designated as affordable housing. In addition, the plans include the creation of play areas and a community orchard, reinforcing the development’s focus on community well-being and sustainability.
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Although the site is currently designated as green belt, it is one of several locations identified by Walsall Council as suitable for housing development. Agent Savills has argued that the 8.74-hectare site, primarily consisting of agricultural fields, qualifies as grey belt under national planning policies.
Grey belt land is defined as green belt land that includes previously developed land or areas that do not strongly prevent urban sprawl, the merging of towns, or protect historic settings. According to this interpretation, the site does not warrant the stringent protections usually afforded to traditional green belt areas, supporting the case for development.