Revised housing plans in Walsall introduce new sites and remove others

The allocation of new housing sites in Walsall has undergone significant changes, with fresh locations added and several removed from the local development strategy.

Next week, cabinet members are anticipated to approve the latest draft of the Walsall Borough Local Plan. This key document outlines preferred areas for future development and acts as a crucial reference for developers planning to build homes and employment spaces.

According to national regulations, all councils must maintain an up-to-date local plan to retain control over development approvals and refusals, preventing central government intervention.

The government has directed Walsall Council to allocate land sufficient for 21,026 new homes over the coming 20 years. However, following Reform Party’s recent electoral victory, a revised plan has been proposed that reduces the number of allocated homes by 2,117 compared to previous arrangements. The current plan allocates sites for 14,943 homes, resulting in an overall shortfall of 6,083 homes against the government target.

The new draft includes four additional sites, contributing space for 319 homes, although the specific locations have not been detailed in this release.

Furthermore, the plan identifies opportunities to increase housing density in established urban areas. It suggests that up to 1,100 extra homes could be accommodated within urban centres such as Walsall, Willenhall, and Bloxwich. Additional capacity exists in ‘grey belt’ areas where approximately 3,100 more homes could be introduced, and ‘green belt’ areas may accommodate up to 5,300 more homes through careful planning.

On the other hand, several previously proposed sites have been removed due to various concerns:

Stencills Farm, which previously attracted numerous objections and is located near Calderfields where 1,000 homes are already allocated, was withdrawn to avoid overwhelming local infrastructure and because it does not meet grey belt criteria.
Black Cock Farm was removed owing to drainage challenges, proximity to protected conservation sites, and its non-designation as grey belt.
Harpus Close’s allocation was withdrawn following Historic England’s objections related to the impact on the Old Rushall Conservation Area.
Odell Road was taken out due to the loss of open space and expected poor ground conditions.
Reedswood Park woodland, previously the site of a power station, was excluded pending the decision on a planning application for a new 1,000-place free school.

The council’s cabinet will convene on Wednesday, 26 August, to consider the approval of this updated draft local plan. Following approval, a six-week period of public consultation will begin on 14 September, inviting community feedback on the proposals.