Sandwell Local Plan - Reg 19 Publication

3. Framework Policies

3.1 The SLP contains various overarching themes that appear throughout the policy narrative, which are intended to form a broad framework within which the Plan's objectives and aims will be delivered. These themes are effectively laid out in the following high-level policies, which are intended to provide strategic guidance for decisions on land use issues across the borough.

Spatial Strategy for Sandwell

3.2 Policy SDS1 provides the overarching strategy for Sandwell, setting out the broad scale and distribution of new development for the Plan period to 2041.

Justification

3.3 The economy and population of Sandwell are both growing. The Council needs to plan for continued economic recovery and growth and enhanced business productivity. It has also identified land for at least 10,434 new homes within the plan period. To accommodate this future growth, sites and locations that are both sustainable and deliverable have been identified for development, at levels that do not breach the environmental capacity of the area.

3.4 The Spatial Strategy is based on various considerations, including:

1. the Vision, objectives and priorities;
2. environmental constraints;
3. the availability and viability of land for development;
4. national planning policy.

3.5 The Spatial Strategy has been arrived at through the assessment of a comprehensive range of alternative options. The Sustainability Appraisal demonstrates that the chosen approach will enable Sandwell to meet a considerable amount of its growth needs in a manner that takes full account of environmental, climate change, accessibility and social requirements. By promoting the right type and amount of development in the most sustainable locations, the Strategy will also play a crucial role in delivering an equitable Sandwell that supports local people in achieving their personal goals.

3.6 The areas identified for major inward investment and funding will also be the primary foci for co-ordinated and sustained renewal and infrastructure development, supporting the delivery of significant growth and wider benefits to local communities. The SLP sets out realistic development targets for Sandwell's main centres, based on up-to-date evidence.

3.7 Sandwell's strategic centre, West Bromwich, is already served by an extensive transport system and therefore provides a suitable location for economic and housing growth. Improvements are however required to enhance its connectivity, accessibility and environmental quality.

3.8 Strong links will be created between the strategic town centre, the areas identified for regeneration and existing town and local centres and communities, through high-quality design, green infrastructure and transport investment. This will help to spread regeneration benefits more widely, improve community cohesion and support an effective travel network.

3.9 The Council is aiming to utilise land efficiently, but there is still a significant shortage of deliverable sites to meet housing and economic growth needs. Sandwell has identified and made effective and extensive use of brownfield and urban sites and has also undertaken density uplifts in relation to both existing and new allocations. Sites have also been assessed in terms of their accessibility by all modes of transport, to ensure links with existing and proposed areas of employment can be maintained and enhanced where possible.

3.10 There is a need to provide for growth in Sandwell, to enable it to provide capacity for economic prosperity, while also recognising and protecting the most sensitive environmental resources and ensuring that proposed development does not adversely affect certain areas unduly. The overall effect of Sandwell's strategy therefore is to direct housing growth and employment land development to the existing built-up area and onto brownfield sites wherever possible.

3.11 The Spatial Strategy also seeks to protect other green spaces within Sandwell, including parks, open spaces and land with value for biodiversity, nature conservation and ecology. All these areas provide valuable open areas for recreation and ecology and contribute to a network of spaces across the wider Black Country that allows access to the surrounding countryside, including for wildlife.

(1) Duty to Co-operate

3.12 This Plan will look to meet housing and employment land needs within Sandwell in the first instance. However, it is apparent that the capacity of the borough is very limited. The Council recognises that it is not possible to provide for all the identified housing and employment land needs within its administrative boundaries, given the circumstances around land deliverability, extant land-use constraints and the need to protect its unique natural and built heritage.

3.13 The SLP aims to allocate sites for 10,434 new homes in Sandwell over the period 2024-41, compared to a local housing need of 26,350 (2024 – 2041) homes; this means there is a shortfall of 15,916 homes.

3.14 For employment land, the EDNA establishes a need for 185ha of vacant land for new employment development, an anticipated level of allocations of 1,221ha of existing employment land (of which 28ha is currently vacant) and a shortfall of 169ha (accounting for additional completions identified between 2020 and 2022).

3.15 Current national planning policy requires this unmet housing and employment land need to be provided for across the Housing Market Area, Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA) and other areas with which Sandwell has a strong physical or functional relationship.

3.16 Sandwell has worked openly and constructively with neighbouring authorities to help provide as much certainty as possible about how and where its housing and employment land needs might be delivered. The current position is set out in the SLP's Statement of Consultation and will be further clarified at Submission stage.

3.17 Sandwell recognises that this process may address only a small proportion of the housing and employment shortfall, as it is beyond the legal powers of the Council to establish the limits of sustainable development in neighbouring authorities. If a shortfall remains over and above existing and anticipated contributions (which is likely), Sandwell will undertake further work as appropriate to identify how the shortfall might be addressed.

3.18 Notwithstanding this, Sandwell is committed to ongoing engagement with its neighbours to secure the most appropriate and sustainable locations for housing and employment growth to meet local needs. In terms of housing, the engagement will extend beyond the adoption of this plan and will build on the partnership approach developed across the Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area.

3.19 Where it is shown to be desirable, sustainable and deliverable, Sandwell will support its neighbours in bringing forward land for employment and housing that sits adjacent to existing administrative boundaries and will work in partnership to ensure related infrastructure needs are addressed across those boundaries.

Increasing efficiency and resilience

3.20 The Government has stated that all buildings need to be net zero carbon by 2050. Section 19 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004), Section182 of the Planning Act (2008), the Planning and Energy Act (2008), and Chapter 14 of the NPPF (2023) all empower local planning authorities to enforce policies that seek to reduce carbon emissions from new homes.

3.21 The NPPF (December 2023) states that plans should take a proactive approach to mitigating and adapting to climate change. As part of this, new development should be planned for in ways that can help to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, through careful consideration of matters such as location, orientation and design. The following policy aims to ensure that future development address national energy and climate change objectives.

3.22 Policy SDS2 sets out how new development proposals will be required to demonstrate that they are designed to maximise resistance and resilience to climate change, through addressing various requirements.

Justification

3.23 Buildings, services, and infrastructure need to be able to cope with the impacts of climate change. This will mean ensuring that development is able to cope with more intense rainfall, the possibility of flooding, heat waves and droughts. The design of development therefore needs to address shading, insulation and ventilation, surface water runoff and storage and the use of appropriate tree planting and landscaping, to help futureproof schemes against more extreme weather conditions and events.

3.24 Where possible and appropriate, the retrofitting of residential and other properties to achieve higher standards of energy and water efficiency will be encouraged and supported. Where such a proposal would affect the character, appearance or setting of a heritage asset, care should be taken to exclude or minimise adverse impacts in accordance with the relevant policies elsewhere in this Plan.

3.25 This policy should be read in conjunction with Policy SCC1, which covers the use of renewable and low carbon energy and energy-saving measures. It should also be read in conjunction with Policy SDM1, which promotes good design including the management of water resources, and Policies SCC5 and SCC6, which look in more detail at the provision of SuDS and the control and mitigation of flooding.

3.26 Policies in the SLP demonstrate that adaptation to and mitigation of climate change can be achieved across all forms of development.

3.27 The Planning Practice Guidance section on climate change^[34] identifies various examples of mitigating such impacts, which include promoting low and zero carbon technologies, supporting sustainable modes of transport and the use of innovative design and energy production.

3.28 The provision of trees and other elements of green infrastructure will be essential in helping to mitigate and adapt to changing climates; their positive impacts on air quality, heat reduction and ecological networks and habitats will be vital in helping to deliver sustainable and comfortable living and working environments across Sandwell. Development will be expected to increase local tree canopy cover through habitat creation, landscaping and biodiversity net gain. This is explained in more detail in Policy SNE3.

3.29 Examples of adapting to climate change include:

1. considering future climate-related risks when allocating development sites, to ensure risks are understood and accounted for over the development's lifetime;
2. considering flood risk in the design of developments;
3. considering the availability of water and water infrastructure, and using design to promote water efficiency and protect water quality;
4. promoting adaption in design policies, developments and works in the public realm.

3.30 Whole life carbon emissions are the entire amount of carbon produced by buildings and infrastructure and can be divided into embodied and operational emissions. Embodied carbon refers to the carbon emissions that are released during the manufacture, transportation, construction and end of life phases of all buildings and infrastructure^[35]. The retention and reuse of existing resources and buildings can reduce the embodied carbon associated with a development project.

3.31 The UK generates 50 - 60 million tonnes of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste each year^[36]. The Green Construction Board published The Routemap for Zero Avoidable Waste in Construction in 2021 with support from Government^[37]. This recommends steps that could be taken to reduce construction and demolition waste, including giving first consideration to the retention and reuse of existing resources and buildings.

Regeneration Areas

3.32 Sandwell is committed to the regeneration of its towns and employment areas and has adopted a Regeneration Strategy^[38] that sets out exactly how this will be achieved. The strategy contains a vision for this process, set out below:

Taken from SANDWELL REGENERATION STRATEGY March 2022- 2027

3.33 Policy SDS3 sets out the strategic approach to Sandwell's economic and regenerative growth. More detailed policy guidance on the role of West Bromwich and its importance to Sandwell's economic, social and regeneration activities can be found in Chapter 10 of the SLP.

Justification

3.34 The re-energising and repurposing of West Bromwich is of fundamental importance to the regeneration of Sandwell and the wider Black Country. It is one of the most important drivers of the Black Country's economy and supports one of the main hubs of the sub-regional transport network. It is a sustainable location and is well-placed to provide the community with easy access to comparison shopping, leisure, entertainment and cultural facilities and office-based employment.

3.35 Concerning the rest of Sandwell, much of the growth and proposed regeneration taking place up to 2041 will be concentrated around the transportation network (including in West Bromwich and within regeneration areas), providing an opportunity to enhance both sustainability and viability. Promoting the distinctive strengths and unique opportunities provided by West Bromwich will also help to encourage investment.

3.36 The regeneration areas reflect the broad distribution of employment land across Sandwell and accommodate most of its manufacturing and logistics businesses and jobs. The backbone of this network is a system of sustainable transport routes (including rail, metro, bus and walking and cycling infrastructure) and the extensive canal system. The key characteristics of the regeneration areas are as follows:

1. they are recognised as priority locations for existing or programmed multi-agency public sector intervention;
2. they contain existing or programmed multi-modal transport infrastructure;
3. they include clusters of housing / employment development opportunities providing at least 2,219 homes (discounted, these sites are already included in the supply detailed in Policy SHO1) and 584ha of strategic and local employment areas.

3.37 The regeneration areas represent an update of the network of Regeneration Corridors identified in the 2011 Core Strategy. These Regeneration Corridors served the Black Country by providing a clear focus for concerted intervention and growth. The SLP has taken the opportunity to review the Regeneration Corridors in the light of more up-to-date information on the deliverability of previously allocated development opportunities, changing infrastructure priorities and reflecting where planned investment and growth has already taken place.

3.38 The strategy for the regeneration areas reflects two key issues arising from the evidence base; firstly, the need to provide for economic growth through the protection and enhancement of sustainable employment land and premises; and secondly, delivering housing growth through the release of poor quality and underused land to support the ongoing regeneration of Sandwell.

3.39 Achieving the right balance of jobs and housing by 2041 is a key aim of the SLP. Sandwell's annual Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), the Black Country Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA) and the Black Country Employment Area Review (BEAR) all provide key evidence on supply and demand to 2041 and this work has directly informed the employment land and housing allocations in this Plan.

(1) Regeneration Areas

Figure 3 - Regeneration Areas in Sandwell

3.40 The following sections set out in more detail the areas identified in the policy and should be read in conjunction with the relevant sections in the Centres chapter and Chapter 10 (West Bromwich).

WEST BROMWICH AND CARTERS GREEN

3.41 West Bromwich is the strategic centre of Sandwell and as such is the focus for major investment opportunities for retail, commercial, leisure and educational uses.

3.42 Carters Green lies to the northwest of the central core and acts very much as a separate retail centre. Apart from the Lidl supermarket centrally located within Carters Green, the shops are predominantly independents providing a wide range of goods, especially European and world foods. To the rear of the main high street units lie various uses, including residential areas, places of worship and commercial operations.

3.43 The Carters Green Development Framework^[42] sets out an overarching vision for the opportunities that will help in the transformational change in this area. This allows the centre to continue to operate independently of West Bromwich Town Centre, but also allows a natural link to the town, picking up the aspirations and vision from the West Bromwich Masterplan. The Development Framework identifies key opportunity sites that will be the subject of future funding bids, investing in the development of new residential units on currently underused sites. The Framework and details of individual sites focus on providing good quality new homes with new public realm, urban greening and improved linkages through the area, as well as celebrating built heritage such as the Grade II listed Farley Clocktower.

(5) DUDLEY PORT AND TIPTON

3.44 Dudley Port and Tipton Regeneration Area comprises a mix of both residential and employment uses, dissected by the Birmingham Canal and Rail line. The area contains several areas of greenspace, including the extensive Sheepwash Nature Reserve and Victoria Park. Access to and through the area is provided by both the canal and rail links, with Tipton and Dudley Port railway stations lying within the area. The canal also links this area with other green spaces through to Tipton town centre and Dudley. In 2023 following a bid to the Levelling Up Fund, Tipton was awarded £20m capital funding from the Government to regenerate sites within the town centre.

3.45 Recent years have seen very little investment and development within the area. There have been very few residential sites brought forward and investment in industrial development has been limited. Owen Street district centre, often referred to as Tipton town centre, has seen a steady decline in the take up of units, resulting in vacancies and underutilised sites. The Government-funded project seeks to address several underutilised and poor quality residential and commercial premises and regenerate the town centre through the consolidation of retail floorspace and the creation of new high-quality homes.

3.46 The regeneration area is in the southern part of the Sandwell Levelling Up Zone. In 2024 Government enacted secondary legislation to allow the Council to retain business rates generated above a baseline within specific sites within the Zone for 25 years. The retained business rates can be used to fund regeneration and economic growth initiatives. The Levelling Up Zone and the funding for Tipton is intended to be the catalyst for wider investment opportunities within this regeneration corridor. Further employment development will be directed towards Coneygre and Vaughan Trading Estate. Whilst these sites were identified for residential development in the last Local Plan, this has not occurred. Both are expected to deliver further employment development.

3.47 Residential development is anticipated at Rattlechain, south of Sheepwash Nature Reserve. This would see the remediation of a long-standing, problematic and heavily contaminated site, with it brought back into more efficient use and being able to assist in meeting the shortfall in housing numbers. The vision for the Dudley Port area is directed by a Garden City approach and principles, working with the area's existing attributes, namely the green space, canals and linkages.

3.48 The construction of the Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill will improve accessibility, providing sustainable modes of transport and link Sandwell to Dudley for those at work or visiting for leisure or recreation. Whilst much of the investment will be focussed on Dudley once completed, there may be opportunities along the Sandwell link for investment and regeneration at a smaller scale. There is an opportunity for a link to HS2 with the construction of the Interchange at Dudley Port railway station.

3.49 Further opportunities exist to build upon the existing infrastructure, making the canals and greenspace a destination, linking to wider attractions such as the Dudley Canal Trust, Black Country Museum and Dudley Zoo, and joining up with Tipton High Street.

(1) SMETHWICK

3.50 The Smethwick corridor encompasses a wide range of uses including residential, employment, education, health, retail and commercial activity. Lying in the southeast of the borough, the area was at the heart of the industrial revolution and includes the site of the nationally significant Soho Foundry^[43] near Black Patch, created by Matthew Boulton and James Watt. The corridor contains several heritage structures, listed buildings and conservation areas including the Grade I listed Galton Bridge designed by Thomas Telford, which following its completion in 1829 was reputedly the highest single-span arch bridge in the world. The area's proximity to Birmingham has resulted in close cross-boundary working with Birmingham City Council and other partners, culminating in the production of the Smethwick to Birmingham Corridor Framework. The Framework sets out a vision and principles for bringing forward development on opportunity sites within the area, focussing on the delivery of good quality housing, linked to quality open spaces and the canal, and setting out a joined-up transport strategy that will contribute to the formation of a healthy and sustainable community.

3.51 The area has seen investment in recent years with new housing at Windmill Eye and Brindley 2, and the construction of the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital^[44] at Grove Lane that will serve Sandwell and West Birmingham. Funding has recently been granted from the Towns Fund and the Levelling Up Fund to bring forward residential development at Grove Lane and Rolfe Street. Both areas have been the subject of recently approved Masterplans to help guide development^[45]. Additional funding will deliver improved walking and cycling routes linking Smethwick Galton Bridge to the new hospital and further afield into Birmingham City Centre and other areas of Sandwell. Furthermore, the Council has the opportunity to develop a ten-year Long-Term Plan to access Government investment and regeneration in the town. The Long-Term Plan will address the themes of safety and security; high street, heritage and regeneration; and transport and connectivity. Input from residents and businesses will be key with oversight provided by a Town Board.

3.52 However, due to the extensive size of the area and its fragmented ownerships, comprehensive development has not been forthcoming overall. The Towns Fund, Levelling Up Fund and Long-Term Plan grants will act as a catalyst to attract further funding and private sector interest for regeneration on many of the vacant and underutilised sites across the corridor. The area surrounding the hospital is earmarked for housing, providing canalside living, and has easy access to public transport routes. New social infrastructure will also feature within this area, to help meet the needs of the residents. Grove Lane and Rolfe Street will receive most of the investment for the delivery of new housing.

3.53 Opportunities exist to invest in the historic Soho Foundry and surrounding area to strengthen and grow Sandwell's industrial and manufacturing base and revitalise this part of the borough. The area has also been identified as a location for waste operators, which could detract from its amenity; the challenge will be to improve the negative environmental impacts that generally accompany these operations.

WEDNESBURY

3.54 This regeneration area focuses on Wednesbury Town Centre, moving south towards the industrial area of Hill Top and encompassing part of the Sandwell Levelling Up Zone^[46]. Wednesbury is a traditional market town and like many other similar places, has suffered a decline in the take-up of units in recent years. The quality of the public realm has recently been restored as part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zone fund, with an injection of £3.6m to reintroduce a relocated marketplace in the centre of the town, new public realm works, repair works to the Grade II listed clocktower and shopfront improvements within the Conservation Area.

3.55 The council is working with the Government to:

• deliver new homes;
• tackle crime and antisocial behaviour;
• improve green spaces;
• revitalise Wednesbury town centre;
• improve connections to the metro; and
• expand community facilities;

through the creation of a Levelling Up Partnership. A Masterplan has been prepared with local people that identifies regeneration priorities for the town^[47].

3.56 Hill Top is identified as a focus for employment uses. Existing investment in the nearby Midland Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill would make this area attractive for further investment due to the demand for high quality employment land. However, access remains problematic due to the area's existing infrastructure; overcoming this would require significant funding to be made available.

3.57 Further south, the regeneration area encompasses land around Great Bridge town centre. Promotion of this area for mixed uses including the introduction of more residential development would inject additional vitality into the town, assist in delivering new homes to meet housing targets and repurpose underutilised land for more efficient uses.

Table 6 - Summary of regeneration projects

Up-to-date information about regeneration projects can be found on the Regenerating Sandwell website^[48].

Towns and Local Areas

3.58 Policy SDS4 sets out the strategic approach for Sandwell's other towns and local areas.

Justification

3.59 Sandwell is made up of several towns and smaller local communities and is a highly urbanised area. It also contains various existing local employment areas.

3.60 A key spatial priority for the SLP is to support the delivery of new housing development. A significant amount of new housing will be accommodated in existing town centres and their surrounding areas.

3.61 These locations are intended to be places of choice for living, supported by sustainable access to job opportunities and a range of other services and facilities to meet the day to day needs of residents. They will provide housing choice for people, regardless of age and income, to help underpin the areas' economic competitiveness and support the working population.

3.62 Given that new development will generate the need for new infrastructure it is important that these uses are planned together, regardless of ownership. Sandwell Council has produced an Infrastructure Delivery Plan that sets out requirements for specific sites and wider areas.

3.63 In some cases, especially on larger sites or where several smaller sites are in proximity to each other, phasing plans will be required that set out the triggers for the provision of required infrastructure (including green and blue infrastructure), and legal agreements will need to be put in place to deliver that infrastructure.

3.64 Where appropriate, masterplans may be prepared through a collaborative process involving the landowner / developer(s) and the Council, together with other interested parties such as statutory bodies and relevant stakeholders.

Housing renewal

3.65 An essential requirement of any strong and stable community is for residents to have access to decent and secure homes. In the past, significant housing market renewal and regeneration programmes have taken place across Sandwell, to address poor quality housing and living environments.

3.66 These interventions have been successful, and there are now a limited number of areas where housing market intervention activity is likely to be targeted over the plan period.

3.67 Housing renewal also provides opportunities to upgrade housing stock to meet carbon reduction and climate change mitigation and adaptation requirements. This is also addressed in the climate change section of the SLP.

Placemaking – achieving well-designed places

3.68 The environmental and physical transformation of Sandwell is one of the fundamental principles of its regeneration agenda. Placemaking and high-quality urban design are key mechanisms through which this transformation will be achieved, and they will also help to mitigate and adapt to climate change and promote low and zero carbon growth.

3.69 Sandwell's ongoing transformation will be supported by the development of places and buildings providing a range of functions, tenures, facilities and services, intended to support the needs of its diverse local communities. The design of spaces and buildings will be influenced by their context; development should enhance the unique attributes of Sandwell's character and heritage whilst responding to locally-identified community needs, changes in society and cultural diversity.

Justification

3.70 The importance of high-quality design in creating places where people want to live, work and invest with renewed confidence is a fundamental aspect of both national and local policy. Designing high-quality places will result in environmental, economic and social benefits, including:

1. community safety,
2. health and well-being,
3. inclusive communities,
4. better public services,
5. environmental sustainability,
6. climate resilience,
7. greater financial value of buildings, and
8. lower levels of unemployment.

3.71 The aim of the SLP is to create the best conditions for economic and social growth, which will take place within a safe, attractive and accessible built and natural environment. The SLP also encourages and supports the growth of locations that promote participation and community engagement. Successful placemaking in Sandwell will foster community stability, incorporating elements that create resilience to adverse economic and environmental impacts and resulting in a place that residents can be proud of.

3.72 The use of efficient building design, the choice of low- and zero-carbon materials, and intelligent site layout and building orientation can all help to reduce reliance on carbon-based products, energy and non-renewable resources. The Government has published national design guidance^[51] that states planning permission should be refused for poorly designed development, especially where it fails to reflect local policies and government guidance on design. National guidance emphasises that good design and beautiful places should be at the centre of plan-making and decision-making.

3.73 Sandwell enjoys a unique heritage, reflected in its urban structure, which requires a sensitive approach to place-making and an insistence on a high quality of design for proposals that affect the historic environment. Designs should ensure that the significance of local heritage is recognised and reflected in designs and that new development retains and protects that significance to the greatest extent possible.

3.74 Designs and layouts that create and support a higher quality of life in Sandwell will depend on many factors; good design will play an increasingly important role in attracting private sector investment and skilled workers and the success of this will be defined by its outcomes:

• The creation of streets and spaces with their own distinct character that provide the framework for a coherent and interconnected network of places, supporting social interaction and a sense of personal wellbeing, and displaying a clear hierarchy of private, commercial and civic functions.
• A permeable street network that encourages freedom of movement and a choice of sustainable means of transport, including support for the provision and extension of walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure.
• A local hierarchy of centres providing a focus for essential local services and activities with easy access to residential areas.
• Towns and centres that encourage commercial activity, promote prosperity and support the well-being of the area's inhabitants.

• An appropriate intensity of human activity in centres and elsewhere, the creation of natural surveillance and defensible spaces, active frontages and the provision of well-located and accessible infrastructure.
• Properly designed and well-located open spaces that help mitigate flood risk, provide space for wildlife, support biodiversity in the urban area and encourage informal recreation for local people as well as help create a high-quality living environment.

3.75 The importance of high-quality design and place-making is central to the ambitions of other stakeholders in the region. The West Midlands Design Charter, launched by WMCA in 2020, confirms the West Midlands as a place to drive design innovation and creativity. The Charter aims to secure high-quality design in housing, civic architecture, urban spaces, parks and transport infrastructure.

3.76 All new development should include measures to increase community safety and incorporate crime prevention measures, for example by using Secured by Design or Park Mark principles as appropriate. Proposals must look to address crime, the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour for both residents and users of the new development and the existing local community.

Cultural Facilities and the Visitor Economy

3.77 The Vision for Sandwell involves the delivery of transformational change whilst respecting and promoting the borough's culture and heritage. The protection, promotion and expansion of existing cultural facilities, visitor attractions and associated activities will ensure their role as key economic drivers stimulating and regenerating the local economy is supported and will be enhanced as often as possible.

3.78 As well as contributing directly to the local economy, the visitor economy promotes health and wellbeing as well as generating additional demand and growth in supporting services and facilities, which will also benefit residents and businesses.

Justification

3.79 The Black Country has a unique past, having been at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, which has left it a rich and varied industrial and cultural legacy as well as an extensive and historically significant canal network. The area's former industrial activity and its geological richness is also reflected in a distinctive natural and built topography, consisting of small villages and settlements that retain their individual characteristics. There are other areas where attractions and facilities are found together, due to their industrial heritage and / or cultural value.

3.80 In addition, the Black Country contains one of the world's few urban geoparks, identified by UNESCO as a single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are located (Policy SNE4).

3.81 These assets are attracting an increasing number of visitors to the sub-region and the visitor economy is a key growth sector. Business tourism is also a growing sector, particularly in terms of high-quality hotel and conferencing facilities and the proximity to Birmingham, a global business destination.

3.82 The range and diversity of cultural and tourist assets in the Black Country include a historic built environment, museums and art galleries, markets, music venues and theatres, which are often part of town and city centres; parks and open spaces; and high-level sporting venues. There is also a strong and diverse culinary scene, including several longstanding Desi pubs^[54].

3.83 In Sandwell, attractions include, but are not limited to, the following venues and locations:

1. Sandwell Valley Country Park – this includes Sandwell Park Visitor Centre (formerly Sandwell Park Farm) and Forge Mill Farm, RSPB Sandwell Valley Reserve and wider facilities for leisure and recreation;
2. Sandwell Aquatics Centre;
3. The Hawthorns stadium – home of West Bromwich Albion FC;
4. Smethwick Jamia Masjid;
5. Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick;
6. Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple of UK;
7. Wednesbury Museum;
8. Bromwich Hall - West Bromwich Manor House Museum;
9. Galton Valley Pumping Station;
10. Lightwoods House;
11. Oak House;
12. Bishop Asbury Cottage;
13. Traditional street and covered markets across the borough;
14. Sites related to the Black Country Global Geopark, e.g., the Rowley Hills.

3.84 Across the wider Black Country, significant attractions include:

• The Black Country Living Museum;
• Dudley Castle and Zoo;
• Walsall Arboretum;
• Walsall Art Gallery and Museum;
• Wolverhampton Civic Suite and Assembly Halls;
• Wolverhampton Theatre.

3.85 The sensitive development of heritage and cultural facilities appealing to the very diverse range of local communities will also contribute to social inclusion, health and wellbeing and improvements in quality of life for all sectors of the local population. Culture is also recognised by national government as making a significant contribution to 'place making' and delivering sustainable communities.

3.86 The nature and often the scale of cultural festivals and entertainment events may mean that they will be best delivered at an open-air location. In Sandwell, such sites are likely to include (but are not limited to) key outdoor venues such as Sandwell Valley. Suitable locations for outdoor events will have appropriate levels of infrastructure, car parking and accessibility to local travel networks and use of them for events and activities should be in accordance with the other policies of this plan and wider legislation and guidance.

3.87 Public venues used for entertainments and leisure purposes will also produce waste, especially relating to food and its packaging. Entertainment and environmental considerations are not always compatible, with a significant amount of waste being generated by festivals and large events. Consideration will be given to requiring the developers, operators and organisers of large-scale public events on open spaces Sandwell to design in systems to manage waste and litter at outdoor sites, should such systems not already be in place.

3.88 All locations that will generate crowds in public places should consider the need for appropriate security measures when buildings and spaces are designed. The NPPF requires planning policies and decisions to promote public safety and consider wider security and defence requirements by addressing potential threats and hazards, especially in locations where large numbers of people are expected to congregate. This will be achieved by using up-to-date information available from the police and other agencies about the nature of potential threats and their implications.

3.89 Canals form a significant part of the heritage of both Sandwell and the Black Country and form an integral part of both its cultural history and its attraction for tourists. Sandwell's canals also play a vital role in delivering both blue and green infrastructure throughout the borough, as they link into the canal network across Birmingham and the other Black Country authorities. They are also a potential focus for biodiversity and regeneration projects.

3.90 Locations in or adjacent to Sandwell include:

• Galton Valley Canal Heritage Area, Smethwick;
• Bumble Hole and Warrens Hall Nature Reserve and Conservation Area on the Sandwell / Dudley border at Netherton / Rowley Regis.

Green Belt

3.91 Green Belts are identified and designated to prevent urban sprawl (including the coalescence of settlements) by keeping land permanently open. The essential characteristics of green belts are their openness and their permanence. The detailed boundaries of the West Midlands Green Belt in Sandwell are identified on the Policies Map.

3.92 Green belt policy aims to prevent inappropriate development within designated areas. The following policies respond to local circumstances and provide clarity and interpretation of several of the terms set out in the NPPF.

3.93 The protection of the green belt is a key aspect of the Vision and the overarching strategic priority ensuring development takes place in the most appropriate and sustainable locations whilst protecting the most vulnerable assets.

Justification

3.94 Sandwell attaches great importance to the ongoing protection of the Black Country Green Belt, whose boundary is drawn tightly around parts of its urban edges, and which encompasses some of the most sensitive and important tracts of green and open space in the borough. The largest section of Sandwell's designated green belt lies within the Sandwell Valley area, and links into Walsall's green belt to the north-east of the borough.

3.95 The Green Belt will be preserved from inappropriate development unless very special circumstances have been demonstrated in accordance with national planning policy and guidance. Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

3.96 Sandwell Council recognises that the space needs of existing uses can change and evolve over time and some activities may require additional space. To remain in their current premises and to support a thriving community and economy, facilities currently located in the green belt may need to extend or alter their current operational buildings.

3.97 To ensure the openness of the green belt is maintained, any extensions or alterations to buildings in it must not result in additions that are disproportionately over and above the size of the original building. For all non-residential buildings, the 'original building' is taken to be a building as it existed on 1 July 1948 or, if constructed after 1 July 1948, as it was built originally.

3.98 While green belt is not itself a reflection of landscape quality or value, large parts of the local green belt are also identified as being of significant historic, environmental and landscape importance. Should a permission be granted in very special circumstances, the Council will require particularly high-quality design and materials to be used in such locations, in line with Policy SDS5, Policy SDM1 and the policies in the Natural and Historic Environment section of the SLP.

3.99 Consultants were commissioned by the Black Country authorities to complete a study of the sub-region's green belt in 2019^[58]. The study divided the green belt into different parcels based upon common features. It assessed each parcel against the five purposes of the green belt set out in the NPPF and reached conclusions on the level of harm that would occur if land were released for development. It is the Council's view that there are no exceptional circumstances in Sandwell that would justify amending current boundaries and releasing any areas of green belt for new development. While there is an identified shortfall of land suitable for housing and economic development, this of itself does not outweigh the need to maintain the openness and permanence of the green belt within Sandwell, especially given the densely developed and urban character of the rest of the borough.

Green and Blue Infrastructure

3.100 Green and blue infrastructure are terms used to describe a multi-functional and connected network of green spaces, water and other environmental features in both urban and rural areas. It represents a collection of assets that provide multiple functions and services to people, the economy and the environment. It includes (but is not limited to) the following land types:

1. woodland,
2. watercourses, including canals,
3. highway verges and railway embankments,
4. parks, playgrounds, allotments and other public open spaces,
5. urban trees,
6. private gardens,
7. the grounds of hospitals, schools and business parks,
8. sport pitches and recreational areas.

3.101 Green infrastructure can contribute to the provision of 'ecosystem services', the direct and indirect contributions the natural environment provides for human wellbeing and quality of life. These services can be delivered in a practical sense, e.g., by providing food and water and regulating the climate, and through supporting cultural and social aspects such as the provision of green spaces that can then help reduce stress and anxiety. They include flood protection, water purification, carbon storage, land for food production, places for recreation, landscape and nature conservation.

3.102 Green infrastructure performs multiple functions, some of which include:

1. biodiversity and geodiversity – providing habitats for wildlife,
2. access and recreation – places for sports, play, walking and cycling,
3. health and wellbeing – supporting healthy lifestyles,
4. energy – providing an energy resource using biomass, hydro-electric and wind power,
5. townscape – making towns and villages better places in which to live,
6. economic development – supporting the economy by improving the image and 'liveability' of places.

3.103 In 2023 Natural England published guidance on the delivery and enhancement of green infrastructure^[59]. As a key resource for developers and local planning authorities, the framework integrates green infrastructure tools, principles, standards and design guidance. It is structured through five key standards, addressing:

• urban nature recovery,
• an urban greening factor,
• an urban tree canopy cover standard,
• accessible greenspace standards; and
• a green infrastructure strategy.

3.104 Of these elements, Sandwell Council already addresses most of them through existing Council strategies and many of the policies proposed in this plan. Relevant plan policies include those on biodiversity net gain, the nature recovery strategy, the retention of trees and hedgerows, canals, SuDs, climate change mitigation and good design, which cover:

1. urban nature recovery and urban greening (policies in the Natural and Historic Environment section);
2. urban canopy cover (part of the adopted Sandwell Tree Strategy);
3. accessible green space standards (part of the Council's Green Spaces Strategy and Audit).

3.105 In respect of a Green Infrastructure Strategy, this standard supports the National Planning Policy Framework's requirement that local authorities should develop strategic policies for green infrastructure. At an area-wide scale, the Green Infrastructure Standard will see local authorities develop delivery plans to support the creation and enhancement of new and existing greenspaces.

3.106 This issue is also addressed across a range of policies in the Sandwell Local Plan and is addressed in the following strategic policy.

3.107 A focussed green infrastructure approach could also provide an overarching framework against which the Council's success in achieving many of these positive outcomes could be monitored and measured.

Justification

3.108 A green infrastructure approach to development recognises that the network of green and blue spaces, street trees, green roofs and other major assets such as natural or semi-natural drainage features must be planned, designed and managed in an integrated way. This will include considering and enhancing where possible links to green and blue networks beyond Sandwell's boundaries, in collaboration with neighbouring authorities and stakeholders.

3.109 Green infrastructure creates a sense of place. It is a multifunctional benefit generally located close to where people live, work and relax. It will help to support a healthy lifestyle, can reduce health inequalities in communities and offers social benefits by creating a sense of social cohesion and shared space.

3.110 Policy SDS8 sets out a strategic green infrastructure approach and provides guidance on how this can be assessed and planned for. Further policies in the environment and climate change sections of the SLP provide more detail on specific aspects of green infrastructure, alongside other Plan policies designed to deliver multiple outcomes.

3.111 Objectives include:

• promoting mental and physical health and wellbeing,
• adapting to the impacts of climate change and the urban heat-island effect,
• improving air and water quality,
• encouraging walking and cycling,
• supporting landscape and heritage conservation,
• learning about the environment,
• supporting food growing, and
• conserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecological resilience

alongside the more traditional functions of green space, such as play, sport and recreational activity.

3.112 All development takes place within a wider environment and green infrastructure should be an integral element and not an 'add-on'. Its economic and social value should be recognised, as highlighted in the Black Country i-Tree Assessment and Sandwell's Green Spaces Strategy and Trees Strategy.

3.113 It is important to ensure that green and blue infrastructure are connected to each other and to the wider environment, and are resilient, to enable them to respond to climate change in a positive way. The use of green infrastructure should be optimised, but not necessarily maximised, to ensure more environmentally sensitive green spaces will not be damaged by excessive activity. This means that as well as supporting the physical and mental health of Sandwell's residents, they will retain their importance as part of a wider network of spaces and places for wildlife, ecology and habitats.