1.      That the following principles be approved as the basis of the Council’s response to the South Staffordshire Local Plan (SSLP) Preferred Options consultation:

Duty to Cooperate and Statements of Common Ground

a.      Acknowledgment that the Black Country Authorities (BCA) and South Staffordshire District Council (SSDC) have been working together constructively on planning issues of mutual interest and that this is expected to continue.  Going forward, it is essential that the phasing of site delivery and associated infrastructure (including the construction period) is managed in a coordinated manner given the clustering of proposed allocations and the cumulative impact of development.

b.      Expectation that, as the Black Country Plan (BCP) and SSLP both move towards Publication in summer 2022, the BCA and SSDC will aim to reach agreement on all relevant cross-boundary issues and reflect this agreement in draft Statements of Common Ground to support each Plan;

c.      Support for the preferred housing growth option of local housing need plus 4,000 homes to meet Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area need up to 2038;

d.      Given detailed evidence provided by the Draft BCP that the Black Country has a very significant housing shortfall up to 2039, and the close geographical, migration and commuting links between the Black Country and South Staffordshire, request that the full 4,000 homes should be specifically allocated to meet Black Country housing needs;

e.      Support the longer term growth aspirations for a new settlement with strong sustainable transport links to the Black Country, which could help meet longer term Black Country housing shortfalls;

f.        Request that the South Staffordshire Housing and Employment Needs Assessment (HEDNA) is completed as soon as possible, with due regard to the Black Country EDNA (2021) and the West Midlands Interchange Apportionment Study, and shared with the BCA as soon as possible to determine how far the SSLP will be able to contribute towards significant unmet employment land needs in the Black Country.

Site allocations and cross-boundary infrastructure

g.      Noting the scale and location of the proposed extensions to the Wolverhampton urban area and to commit to require further work on infrastructure requirements associated with the type, scale, location and phasing of development and assurances that close joint working on all relevant planning issues will continue throughout the Plan preparation process, Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) preparation, pre-application and planning application processes;

h.      Request that a SPD and Infrastructure Delivery Strategy is also prepared for the Langley Road site;

i.        Request that the affordable housing secured on sites proposed in the Plan within the Wolverhampton locality are allocated through nomination rights for Wolverhampton residents, and that this requirement is set out in the Publication Plan;

j.        Request that the combined impact of SSLP and BCP developments on the wider transport network is assessed, that development links effectively to the strategic transport network and avoids excessive pressure on sensitive transport links, that effective sustainable transport solutions are provided to connect essential trips to the local network, and that developments seek to minimise trip generation through all available mechanisms;

k.      Support for the continued promotion of the existing Brinsford Strategic Park and Ride site allocation in the Preferred Options and request that this project and other supporting infrastructure which increases access to the rail network should be fully promoted in the SSLP;

l.        Support for developing a Statement of Common Ground establishing the principle of self-containment regarding primary and secondary school places for both the SSLP and the BCP, however request further detail on how secondary school places arising from Linthouse Lane and Cross Green would be accommodated;

m.    Request that land is set aside at Linthouse Lane and/or Cross Green sufficient to accommodate GP consulting rooms to serve all residents, in line with the principle of self-containment for urban extensions;

n.      Request that SSDC develop a developer contribution system which will secure sufficient funds from major housing development to deliver GP consulting rooms in a timely manner, so that there are no negative impacts on Wolverhampton GP service provision;

o.      Request that the SSLP makes clear that the Langley Road development will be required to make sufficient contributions to deliver an extra GP consulting room in south west Wolverhampton;

p.      Request that green infrastructure proposals for developments on the edge of Wolverhampton are integrated with existing and potential networks in Wolverhampton.