Sandwell residents, community groups, businesses and stakeholders have until 5pm on Monday 20 March to take part in a public consultation on the first phase of a new Local Plan.

Every council has a legal duty to draw up and adopt a Local Plan.

The Plan is the key document which sets out planning policies and proposals that will help guide future development, and will identify land for future housing and employment needs up to 2041.

Almost all planning applications are judged against it and it provides the framework for the council’s own extensive regeneration programme. Sandwell’s last Local Plan was adopted in 2012 and now needs updating.

The first step towards producing a new plan is the Issues and Options stage. This is where the council identifies what the main issues might be for Sandwell regarding the future use and development of land, and invites people to comment on potential options for dealing with those issues. In its new Local Plan, the council will be looking to address issues that haven’t been considered in previous plans such as:

• the impact of climate change;
• providing an accessible and low-carbon transport infrastructure for fully electric or other zero emissions transport (this includes private vehicles, passenger trains, subway/metro and trams); and
• promoting and supporting the development of healthy places and opportunities to improve the wellbeing of local people.

The Plan will also build on and strengthen the council’s existing work on key issues such as:

• creating cohesive, attractive and accessible new communities;
• supporting public walking and bicycle infrastructure; and
• protecting and enhancing open and green spaces, and the natural environment;
• It will also include suitable and available sites for new housing and employment, as well as social, community and health facilities.

Running alongside the Issues and Options public consultation is a ‘Call for Sites’, giving individuals, landowners and developers the opportunity to suggest potential sites for future development, which if appropriate could be included in the new Local Plan. Councillor Peter Hughes, Sandwell’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth, said:

“There is still time to have your say, so I would ask everyone living, working or studying in Sandwell to take a look at our plans for the future and have their say.

“Meeting Sandwell’s needs for housing and employment land, as well as putting plans in place for the necessary infrastructure to support that development, are both key to the borough’s future prosperity and the aspirations of our communities.

“However, if we are to tackle the challenges of climate change and carbon reduction, and achieve our net zero ambitions, new developments need to be progressed in a sustainable way.

“This new Local Plan will be a key document, setting out how we will achieve this between now and 2041.”

The Local Plan consultation and ‘Call for Sites’ invitation started on Monday 6 February and will run until 5pm on Monday 20 March, 2023.

Anyone wanting more information or to give their views can visit the Local Plan webpage.