Former MP criticises Mayor over green belt concerns

Former MP, Suzanne Webb has criticised 'dismissive comments' from the Mayor of the West Midlands over residents' Green Belt concerns.

Ms Webb has hit back at Richard Parker after he described concerns over sweeping new mayoral planning powers as “a bit of an overreaction”.

Suzanne said residents are right to be concerned about the potential impact of the changes when they are combined with the Government’s wider planning reforms and increasing pressure for development on Green Belt land.

The Government has announced proposals to give mayors across England significant new powers over major planning decisions.

Under the proposals, mayors outside London would be able to “call in” strategically important planning applications and direct councils to take them forward or refuse them.

The proposed thresholds include developments of more than 150 homes, commercial schemes exceeding 15,000 square metres and buildings 30 metres or taller. Mayors would also gain powers to grant up-front permission for certain developments.

The changes form part of the Government’s drive to deliver 1.5 million new homes and would give mayors outside London powers similar to those already available to the Mayor of London.

Suzanne, who has campaigned to protect the Green Belt for more than a decade and has consistently argued for a brownfield-first approach to development, said concerns about the proposals cannot be considered in isolation.

She said: “This isn’t an overreaction. People are rightly concerned about what happens when you combine powerful new mayoral planning powers with regional planning, the Government’s grey belt policy and a presumption in favour of development in certain locations.

“Taken together, these changes risk moving major decisions further away from the communities most affected by them while increasing the pressure for development on Green Belt land in Stourbridge and across the West Midlands.

“I support building new homes, and I support protecting our Green Belt. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. We should be ambitious about regenerating brownfield land and delivering the right homes in the right places before sacrificing countryside that, once developed, we will never get back.

“What concerns me is not simply the existence of these new powers, but the Mayor’s dismissive attitude towards residents who are asking perfectly legitimate questions about how those powers could be used. Calling those concerns an ‘overreaction’ does nothing to reassure people.”

The intervention comes amid further changes to national planning policy, including the Government’s “grey belt” approach and a push towards a “default yes” for housing developments within reasonable walking distance of well-connected train and tram stations, including developments involving Green Belt land.

Suzanne said the cumulative effect of the reforms means there must be clear safeguards for local communities and valued countryside.

She added: “Residents are entitled to ask what all of this will mean for their communities. Major developments can change the character of an area for generations.

“The Mayor should be explaining how he intends to protect the Green Belt and ensure local people continue to have a meaningful voice in decisions, not dismissing their concerns.

“Stourbridge residents know the value of their Green Belt. They also understand the need for new homes. What they expect is a planning system that puts brownfield regeneration first, delivers the homes and infrastructure we need and treats the protection of our countryside seriously.

“New powers must come with accountability. The stronger the powers held by the Mayor, the stronger the obligation to listen to the communities affected by the decisions he makes.”