Dudley Council accused of 'not co-operating on housing' to meet local need

During a hearing on the proposed Dudley Local Plan, government planning inspector Louise Nurser was told the authority was not doing enough to provide land for new houses.

Representatives from the building industry claim the council is underestimating the number of homes it needs to provide and in a discussion on the duty to co-operate between authorities they poured more scorn on Dudley.

Myles Wild-Smith, representing Taylor Wimpey and St Phillips Land Limited, argued the council was not freeing-up enough land.

He said: “It’s a very insular looking approach by the authority, it is odd to me the council is disregarding a review of green belt.”

Paul Hill, on behalf of St Mowden Homes, said councils can consider building on green belt in exceptional circumstances to meet the needs of the region, not just within a council’s own area.

He said: “Cannock and South Staffordshire are both reviewing green belt for their own needs and the wider HMA (Housing Market Area). It’s the same unmet need.”

Dudley Council’s leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, argues developers want to ‘destroy’ Dudley’s green belt and the authority has a brownfield first policy.

Barrister Peter Goatley KC, for Dudley Council, argued a legal duty to co-operate between councils is ‘not a duty to agree’.

Mr Goatley said: “Cannock and South Staffordshire have taken a different approach to exceptional circumstances.

“The suggestion there is only one way for Dudley to go is not one that would be justified.”

Dudley also got backing from neighbouring councils.

In documents submitted to the inquiry, South Staffordshire Council said: “Dudley MBC and South Staffordshire have worked constructively, actively, and on an on-going collaborative basis throughout the preparation of the Dudley and South Staffordshire Local Plans.”

In their submission, Sandwell Council said Dudley had been engaging constructively during the preparation of the local plan; however, there was one area of disagreement.

The Sandwell document said: “This relates to housing land supply. The Dudley Local Plan identifies a shortfall of 699 homes.”

Sandwell says that out of the sites identified in consultation for the now defunct Black Country Plan, Dudley had green belt that could accommodate 1,000 homes.

The Sandwell document continued: “This is more than enough to meet its own need and also to assist neighbouring authorities with their housing shortfalls.

“Dudley Council is instead seeking to export the 699 home shortfall to its neighbours and retain its green belt rather than identifying those sites to help meet its own housing need.”

Dudley Council pulled out of the Black Country Plan in 2022 after what Cllr Harley called ‘overwhelming’ feedback from the public against building on green belt.

When he announced Dudley’s withdrawal from the plan, Cllr Harley said: “At every stage of this plan we have made it clear that it must be led by the people who live here.

“I simply cannot stand by and allow decisions to be made which are contrary to the overwhelming feedback we have already received.

“This is clearly a very emotive subject and people feel very strongly about it.”