West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is supporting Halesowen’s Countryside’ campaigners who hope to stop green belt land from being used for future development.

From January, contractors appointed by the four Black Country borough councils will search for sites – both brownfield and green belt – to meet the region’s growing population by 2036. It’s thought a possible 22,000 properties will be needed, with a further 300 hectares required for industry.

Mr Street has written to the Tory-led Dudley Council, urging them to commit to a ‘brownfield first’ policy – a major pledge he made in his bid to become mayor earlier this year.