Sandwell Council is in the process of preparing a new local plan for the borough. It is looking for local people and businesses to get involved. It will be consulting on the plan from Monday 6 February for six weeks.

What is the plan?

The plan sets out different policies and proposals that will help guide development and land use for at least 15 years. It will be used to make decisions on planning applications during that time. 

The first step in producing the new plan is the issues and options stage. This is when Sandwell Council sets out what it thinks some of the main issues might be for the borough in terms of the use and development of land. It then invites people to comment on potential options for dealing with those issues.

Sandwell Council’s new local plan will be looking at how it can best help local businesses, as well as companies wanting to locate to Sandwell, to achieve their land use aims. It will do this by identifying opportunities for a variety of business needs – meaning a mixed portfolio of sites will need to be made available, including large and small sites and spaces. 

The local plan will look to support growth, provide new sites for employment and include policies that sustain economic development.

The topics being considered in the current consultation include:

• Employment land need
• Sandwell’s economy
• Regeneration
• Demand for employment sites
• Non-conforming employment uses
• Alternative uses in industrial areas
• Training and recruitment.

Alongside this, the local plan will also be addressing issues around transportation, infrastructure, climate change and housing provision.

The issues and options stage is accompanied by a call for sites. Landowners and others are asked whether they have, or know of, any land they think might be suitable for allocation in the plan as a site for new housing, employment or open space. 

When can I get involved?

The consultation starts on Monday 6 February and runs until Monday 20 March. If you would like to comment on the Sandwell local plan issues and options or submit a ‘call for sites’ you will need to register on the database. 

Register here: Sandwell Local Plan Consultation