Comment

Representation ID: 5259

Received: 19/12/2022

Respondent: St Philips

Agent: Pegasus Group

The Plan’s objectives should be amended to reflect the need to meet both the present and future housing requirements, including those pressures arising through the Duty to Cooperate with neighbouring authorities. In this instance the well-known unmet housing needs of the Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area (GBBCHMA) should be clearly considered.
The Local Plan lacks clarity at Strategic Objective 1 and does not define the exceptional circumstances for release of Green Belt land as part of its strategy. It should be made clear that the need to identify land for growth and development over the Plan period, and
beyond, means that there are exceptional circumstances arising which have required a full and detailed Green Belt boundary review, with a view to identifying land that it is proposed to be released from the Green Belt to meet the District’s growth requirements.
In relation to Strategic Objective 2, reference is made to meeting the housing and employment needs of the District. It is considered this could be strengthened to refer to meeting the needs of both existing and new residents of the District, but the overarching thrust that new housing should be focussed on sustainable locations in the District, including the key villages, is supported.