The Site
The site is located on the northern edge of Streetly, forming a sustainable extension to the existing settlement. The site is to the east of Chester Road (A452), adjacent to the railway line to the west and immediately to the north of Planters Pacific Garden Centre. It is bordered by existing trees and landscaping to the north. The site covers approximately 8.74 hectares (21.6 acres) and comprises a single parcel partially divided by an isolated hedgerow.
Housing Need
All councils in England are required to allocate land to meet the housing needs of their communities and to safeguard land for future development.
As Walsall Council is currently unable to demonstrate a sufficient supply of housing to meet local demand, and in the absence of an up-to-date Local Plan, we are bringing forward our proposals to deliver the high-quality, sustainable neighbourhoods we are known for, helping to address the pressing need for additional homes in the area. We have also promoted our site to the emerging Local Plan as a sustainable and appropriate development site for residential development.
Land use and designation
We believe the site should now be considered ‘Grey Belt’, which is a term increasingly used in planning to describe areas of Green Belt which do not strongly contribute towards the purposes of the Green Belt. Grey Belt, which has been brought forward under the Labour Government’s new Planning Reforms, recognises that such land can be released for development, particularly where it helps to address urgent local housing needs and delivers a higher proportion of affordable homes.