Birmingham City Council has unveiled proposals to release more than a dozen protected Green Belt sites in Sutton Coldfield for the development of thousands of new homes, despite a major existing housing project remaining unbuilt.
Major Expansion Proposed in Royal Town's Green Belt
The council is currently consulting on its next Birmingham Local Plan, which will shape development in the city until 2044. A new document reveals that 15 sites within Sutton Coldfield's Green Belt have been identified as potential locations for residential building.
This comes eight years after the Langley site on the edge of Walmley was removed from Green Belt protection, with permission granted for 5,500 homes. Construction there has yet to begin.
The council's assessment indicates Birmingham has a potential capacity for almost 100,000 new homes by 2044, against a calculated need for 85,747. However, it also identifies a significant shortfall of employment land.
Sutton Coldfield Bears the Brunt of Proposed Releases
Out of 21 areas highlighted across Birmingham's current Green Belt by site promoters, 15 of the 19 sites promoted for housing are in Sutton Coldfield. Furthermore, the only two sites proposed for industrial use are also located in the town.
Of the 10,415 possible homes on current Green Belt land city-wide, a staggering 8,216 would be situated in Sutton Coldfield. The town holds the lion's share of Birmingham's Green Belt, with smaller areas bordering Sandwell, Walsall, and Bromsgrove.
Planning consultant Arup compiled a report assessing both Green Belt and grey belt land. Grey belt refers to land within the Green Belt that has been previously developed or contributes limited value to its function.
Detailed List of Sites and Consultation Extension
The proposed residential sites in Sutton Coldfield, ordered by potential home numbers, are:
- Withy Hill – 2,000 homes (potential grey belt)
- Fox Hill – 1,500 homes (potential grey belt)
- Land north of Sutton Coldfield – 1,500 homes
- Land south of Withy Hill Road – 1,100 homes (potential grey belt)
- Land north of Roughley – 650 homes (potential grey belt)
Other significant sites include New Hall Golf Course and Country Park for 300 homes, and several smaller parcels. The two proposed industrial sites are land west of Bassetts Pole (16.4 hectares) and Minworth Greaves (2.1 hectares).
The council's document stresses that inclusion in the list does not mean the council agrees with the proposed uses or capacities, nor that they are deemed suitable. Further detailed assessments on landscape and sustainable transport would be required.
The deadline for public comment on the Focused Preferred Options Document was initially Thursday, December 4, but has been extended to Friday, December 19 following lobbying by Sutton councillor Richard Parkin.
Residents can submit comments by emailing planningstrategy@birmingham.gov.uk, providing their full name and address. This is not the final version of the Local Plan, which is scheduled for publication in June next year, followed by a six-week consultation.
