Sandwell Local Plan - Reg 19 Publication

It is noted that Sandwell Council needs to identify land for 26,350 homes by 2041. However, the supply of suitable residential land identified by Sandwell Council stands at 10,434 homes, leaving an unmet need for 15,916 homes in the Plan period. The draft plan recognises that there is a finite supply of land readily available for development and it is very likely that it would not currently be possible to meet the full extent of Sandwell’s housing need within Sandwell itself.
The Edwin Richards Quarry site represents an excellent opportunity to deliver a significant amount of housing development on a brownfield site in Sandwell, within the Plan period and into the subsequent plan period. The western section of the site already benefits from planning permission for 278 dwellings (reserved matters planning permission ref. DC/23/67924).
Since its closure as a quarry in 2008, the Edwin Richards Quarry site has operated as the only non-hazardous landfill site in Sandwell. It now only accepts non-putrescible materials such as soil, excavation and demolition waste. While this is an important waste facility for the area, it is a finite resource. When the infilling of the quarry is completed the remainder of the site will be brought forward to create a sustainably located community, complementing the residential development that will have been delivered in the western section of the site.