Proposed law will 'vindicate' decision to exit the Black Country Plan, Dudley's leader says

Councillor Patrick Harley pulled the plug on the major housing scheme earlier this year, saying he wasn't prepared to lose green belt land to keep others "happy".

The document had set out a plan to build more than 76,000 homes across the four Black Country areas by 2039 with more than 7,700 built on green belt land.

But the council's withdrawal meant the plan fell apart, with council chiefs in Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall heavily criticising Councillor Harley's decision.

Now the authority leader has said new legislation proposed by the Government would vindicate the choice to withdraw from the controversial housing scheme.

The move will hand people a bigger say on developments in their towns, lay out a strong brownfield-first approach to home-building, and hand councils the power to set their own housing targets – and means the authorities will be under "no obligation" to review green belt land for possible housing use.

Councillor Harley said: "This is fantastic news and vindicates our stance in withdrawing from the Black Country Plan.

"We have stressed throughout the importance of two things in the planning process – that the thoughts of local residents are taken into account and that green belt land is protected from development.

"I am delighted that the government’s position statement agrees with what we have been saying all along. We will now watch with a keen eye as further details around the policy unfold."

Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove set out in writing last week the plans – which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak committed to in the summer – as part of the proposed Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

It comes after it emerged councils spent more than £2m on the Black Country Plan before it was scrapped with chiefs hoping to claim some cash from Dudley – which Councillor Harley was against.

Each of the four authorities are now drawing up their own housing plans.