A review of the blueprint plotting development in the Black Country over the next 20 years is set to get under way - and people will soon be given the chance to have their say.

The Black Country Core Strategy outlines how many houses need to be built and how to plan for the number of extra jobs needed in a growing population. It also looks at where new homes and businesses should be located.

The original document was launched 6 years ago and covers the period up to 2026.

Now 4 Black Country councils - Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton - want to launch a public consultation on a review of the document to take it up to 2036.

If agreed at council meetings in May and June, the consultation is expected to start in July and last for 10 weeks.

City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: "The Black Country has witnessed a surge of regeneration in recent years, particularly in the City of Wolverhampton.

"We want to continue this success by reviewing the Core Strategy to meet the future needs and aspirations of the Black Country by providing a balanced mix of new homes and jobs and protecting and enhancing the environment.

"I encourage residents to get involved in the consultation on the first stage of the Core Strategy review process which will help shape the future of the City of Wolverhampton and the Black Country".

Alan Lunt, Strategic Director for Place at Dudley Council and lead officer for the review, said: "The Black Country Core Strategy is an overarching planning and regeneration document for our region.

"The current strategy was adopted as the country emerged from a global recession and the Black Country was recovering from a period of economic and population decline.

"This document now needs to be reviewed. It is expected there will be both population and economic growth over the next 20 years and that brings a need for new development sites to accommodate this.

"Part of this review is a 10 week public consultation where residents across the Black Country will be given the chance to have their say."

The consultation will ask questions about where new homes are needed across the Black Country. It will also seek feedback on how to plan for more jobs and where new development should be located.

The information from the consultation will be collated and used to produce a proposed review document, which will again go out to consultation next summer.                                                            

  • released: Wednesday 14 June, 2017