![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Sutton-Coldfields-Green-Belt-Areas-earmarked-for-development.jpg\")
A map showing the 15 sites across Sutton Coldfield’s Green Belt proposed for housing developments (with red house icons) and two sites proposed for industrial use (with yellow factory icons)(Image: Google)<\/p>\nConservative councillors hit out as Green Belt sites in Sutton Coldfield proposed for housing and industrial useA map showing the 15 sites across Sutton Coldfield’s Green Belt proposed for housing developments (with red house icons) and two sites proposed for industrial use (with yellow factory icons)(Image: Google)<\/p>\n
Proposals to build on more of Sutton Coldfield<\/a>\u2019s Green Belt – potentially involving thousands more homes and land for industrial use – have been labelled an \u2018attack on the town\u2019.<\/p>\n Birmingham City Council<\/a> is consulting on documents detailing areas across the city which could be developed in the next 20 years to 2044.<\/p>\n Some 15 Green Belt sites in Sutton, including parts of country parks and golf courses and huge chunks of land on the edge of the town proposed for thousands of homes, have been put forward.<\/p>\n READ MORE: The 15 sites in Sutton Coldfield\u2019s Green Belt proposed for thousands of homes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n A Green Belt assessment, carried out by Arup, for the city council, said a number of the sites were either potential \u2018grey belt\u2019 \u2013 land within the Green Belt which had been previously developed – or land which, while in the Green belt, did not satisfy enough of its \u2018purposes\u2019.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Mapped – the 17 Green Belt sites in Sutton Coldfield proposed for housing and industrial use<\/a><\/p>\n Across Birmingham<\/a>, just 19 Green Belt sites are being proposed for house building \u2013 and more than three-quarters of them are in Sutton. Both of the two sites proposed for industrial use are also in the town.<\/p>\n Full details of the areas and what has been proposed can be found here<\/a>. Maps showing how much land is at stake can be viewed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n It all comes before a brick has been laid on any of the 5,500 homes already given the go-ahead at Langley, a swathe of former Green Belt land near Walmley.<\/p>\n Amazon is also the only occupier of Peddimore – former Green Belt land next to Minworth in Sutton which was allowed to be used for industrial purposes. Sutton Coldfield Town Council\u2019s leader, Coun Simon Ward (Four Oaks, Cons) described the proposals as an \u2018attack on Sutton Coldfield\u2019.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Flats plan for former nightclub site \u2018could help regenerate area\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He said: \u201cThis is the potential opening of a door that could well lead to the loss of more of our Green Belt. Is this a door that has to be opened? I\u2019m not sure.<\/p>\n \u201cIf something is designated as grey belt, its another step toward it being lost. Birmingham has enough space for its housing needs to 2044.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd 5,500 spaces at Langley for homes that haven\u2019t been built yet.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Sutton Coldfield Town Council was doing the consultation on the Plan for Neighbourhoods [on how to spend a \u00a320 million pot of money from the Government on the town], we had 4,500 responses.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important thing to residents is the green nature of Sutton. This is an absolute attack on that.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow Sutton Coldfield town councillor, Richard Parkin, whose Reddicap ward neighbours one of the areas proposed for more homes, also challenged the proposals.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cSutton Coldfield\u2019s green belt is at ‘considerable risk’ of new housing development because of the significant changes introduced by the Government in its new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).<\/p>\n \u201cThe NPPF includes changes to how housing need is calculated, alongside a requirement for authorities to undertake a green belt review to meet local housing needs.<\/p>\n \u201cMore of the green belt is now at risk of housing and employment development because it can be re-classified as grey belt.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is essentially a back door route for destroying the green belt and building new homes. Green spaces are what makes our town so unique in Birmingham and such a special place to live and work in.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you oppose these changes please make your voice heard.\u201d<\/p>\n The town council has formally objected to the proposals.<\/p>\n In a report, Jon Lord, the council\u2019s head of regeneration and sustainability, said: \u201cCurrently, there is no need identified for any additional housing to justify the release of Green Belt.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the identification of \u2018grey belt\u2019 sites was \u2018not a sustainable approach\u2019. There would need to be substantial investment in sustainable transport.<\/p>\n And classifying land as \u2018grey belt\u2019 put the rest of the Green Belt at risk, he said.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/strong>: New \u00a317 million Sainsbury’s in city given go-ahead<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Coun Ward and the chair of Sutton town council\u2019s planning and highways committee, Tony Briggs, have written to their counterparts at Birmingham City Council<\/a> \u2018strongly objecting\u2019 to the Green Belt Assessment listing the 15 areas as potential development spots.<\/p>\n Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp<\/a>, click the link to join<\/strong><\/p>\n Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell said: \u201cI’m making sure that my constituents have the opportunity to comment and I congratulate Coun Parkin for getting the deadline extended.<\/p>\n \u201cI will be responding to the consultation on behalf of Sutton Coldfield when we reach the deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n Get the latest Sutton Coldfield news delivered direct to your inbox<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_1-Withy-Hill.jpg\")
An area labelled Withy Hill, between Withy Hill Road and Tamworth Road in Sutton Coldfield could have 2,000 homes built on it if developers were given the go ahead (Image: Arup)<\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_1a-Land-west-of-Bassetts-Pole.jpg\")
Two strips of land either side of Slade Lane – west of Bassetts Pole have been proposed for industrial use – but concerns have been raised in a Green Belt Assessment that they could leave an island of Green Belt land (Image: Arup)<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Langley-green-belt-plan-SPD-image.jpg\")
An overview of the new Langley homes site on Sutton Coldfield’s former green belt land(Image: Birmingham city Council)<\/p>\n