West Midlands Green Belt

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Map of the West Midlands Green Belt showing extents, districts and counties.
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Green belt
District borders
County borders West Midlands Green Belt.svg
Map of the West Midlands Green Belt showing extents, districts and counties.
  Green belt
  District borders
  County borders

The West Midlands Green Belt is a statutory green belt environmental and planning policy that regulates the rural space within the West Midlands region of England. It is contained within the counties of the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Essentially, the function of the green belt is to rigorously manage development around the cities, towns and villages in the large West Midlands conurbations centred around Birmingham and Coventry, discouraging convergence. [1] It is managed by local planning authorities on guidance from central government.

Contents

Geography

Land area taken up by the green belt is 231,291 hectares (571,530 acres), 1.7% of the total land area of England (2019). [2] [3] Tracts of green belt lie within the West Midlands county itself, much of it by the Meriden Gap in Solihull borough; however, the vast coverage of the green belt completely envelops the county.

The green belt stretches from Stafford and Telford through to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, and Rugby. There is a small isolated portion of green belt separating Droitwich Spa and Worcester. [3] The Stoke-on-Trent and Burton upon Trent/Swadlincote green belts lie around 10 miles (16 km) to the north.

Due to the West Midlands green belt extending across several counties, responsibility and co-ordination lies with the many local district councils whose land covers the green belt, as these are the local planning government bodies.

Green belt locations
CountyDistrict councilKey inset areasOutlying places
Shropshire Shropshire [4] Albrighton, Shifnal Telford, Bridgnorth
Staffordshire Cannock Chase [5] [6] Cannock, Norton Canes Rugeley
Lichfield [7] [8] Burntwood, Shenstone Lichfield
South Staffordshire [9] [10] Codsall, Great Wyrley, Wombourne Penkridge
Stafford [11] [12] [13] Cannock Chase AONB Stafford
Tamworth [14] Tamworth
Warwickshire North Warwickshire [15] Coleshill Atherstone
Nuneaton and Bedworth [15] Bedworth, Bulkington Nuneaton
Rugby [15] Binley Woods, Long Lawford, Wolston Rugby
Stratford-on-Avon [15] Alcester, Henley-in-Arden, Studley Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwick [15] Kenilworth Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa
West Midlands Birmingham [16] [17] Sutton Coldfield
Coventry [15] Brownshill Green
Dudley [10]
Sandwell [10]
Solihull [18] Balsall Common, Bentley Heath, Cheswick Green,

Dickins Heath, Hampton-in-Arden, Meriden

Walsall [10]
Wolverhampton [10]
Worcestershire Bromsgrove [19] [20] Alvechurch, Barnt Green, Bromsgrove, Hollywood
Redditch [21] Feckenham
Worcester [22] [23] Claines Worcester
Wychavon [22] [23] Hartlebury, Martin Hussingtree, Wychbold Droitwich Spa
Wyre Forest [24] Kidderminster Bewdley

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcestershire</span> County of England

Worcestershire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands county to the north, Warwickshire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south, and Herefordshire to the west. The city of Worcester is the largest settlement and the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands (county)</span> County of England

West Midlands is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the larger West Midlands region of England. A landlocked county, it is bordered by Staffordshire to the north and west, Worcestershire to the south, and is almost surrounded by Warwickshire to the east. The largest settlement is the city of Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staffordshire</span> County of England

Staffordshire is a landlocked ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands county and Worcestershire to the south, and Shropshire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the county town is Stafford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midlands</span> Place in England

The Midlands is the central part of England, between Northern England to its north, and Southern England to its south and east. The region also shares a border with Wales to the west, while it also shares a coastline at the North Sea. The Midlands correspond to the ceremonial counties of Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands (region)</span> Region of England

The West Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of International Territorial Level for statistical purposes. It covers the western half of the area known traditionally as the Midlands. The region consists of the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. The region has seven cities: Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Worcester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands conurbation</span> Conurbation in England

The West Midlands conurbation is the large conurbation in the West Midlands region of England. The area consists of two cities and numerous towns: to the east, the city of Birmingham, along with adjacent towns of Solihull and Sutton Coldfield; and to the west, the city of Wolverhampton and the area called the Black Country, containing the towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Oldbury, Willenhall, Bilston, Darlaston, Tipton, Smethwick, Wednesbury, Rowley Regis, Stourbridge and Halesowen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redditch</span> Town and borough in England

Redditch is a town and non-metropolitan district with borough status in Worcestershire, England. It is located south of Birmingham, east of Bromsgrove, north-west of Alcester and north-east of Worcester. In 2021, the town had a population of 81,637 and the district had a population of 87,037. In the 1800s, it became a centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry; by the end of the century, 90% of the world's needles were manufactured in the town and its surrounding areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Staffordshire</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. Its council is based in Codsall. Other notable settlements include Brewood, Cheslyn Hay, Coven, Essington, Featherstone, Four Ashes, Great Wyrley, Huntington, Kinver, Landywood, Penkridge, Perton, Wedges Mills, Weston-under-Lizard and Wombourne. The district covers a largely rural area lying immediately to the west and north-west of the West Midlands conurbation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannock Chase District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Cannock Chase is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is named after and covers a large part of Cannock Chase, a designated National Landscape. The council is based in the town of Cannock. The district also contains the towns of Hednesford and Rugeley, as well as a number of villages and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lichfield District</span> Non-metropolitan district in England

Lichfield District is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district is named after its largest settlement, the city of Lichfield, which is where the district council is based. The district also contains the towns of Burntwood and Fazeley, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas, including part of Cannock Chase, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Solihull</span> Metropolitan borough in England

The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in West Midlands county, England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of seven boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region. Much of the large residential population in the north of the borough centres on the communities of Castle Bromwich, Kingshurst, Marston Green and Smith's Wood as well as the towns of Chelmsley Wood and Fordbridge. In the south are the towns of Shirley and Solihull, as well as the large villages of Knowle, Dorridge, Meriden and Balsall Common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Birmingham</span>

Birmingham, a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England, is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham metropolitan area</span> In the West Midlands region of England

The Birmingham Metropolitan Area is an urban agglomeration located in the West Midlands region of England with a population of around 4.3 million people, making it the second largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. It comprises the three cities and four metropolitan boroughs which make up the Metropolitan county of the West Midlands, along with its commuter zones, which extend into the neighbouring district authorities of Bromsgrove and Redditch in Worcestershire; Cannock Chase, Lichfield, South Staffordshire and Tamworth in Staffordshire; and all five district authorities of Warwickshire, including the towns of Bedworth, Coleshill, Nuneaton, Royal Leamington Spa, and Warwick itself.

The West Midlands region straddles the historic borders between the counties of Warwickshire, Staffordshire in the north, and Worcestershire in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross-City Line</span> Railway line in the West Midlands, UK

The Cross-City Line is a suburban rail line in the West Midlands region of England. It runs for 32 mi (51 km) from Redditch and Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, its two southern termini, to Lichfield, Staffordshire, its northern terminus, via Birmingham New Street, connecting the suburbs of Birmingham in between. Services are operated by West Midlands Railway.

The ceremonial county of Staffordshire is divided into 12 seats - 2 borough and 10 county constituencies, one of which includes part of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. Staffordshire is a county in the West Midlands of England. At the 2024 general election, nine of the seats were won by Labour and three by the Conservatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenstone, Staffordshire</span> Human settlement in England

Shenstone is a village and civil parish in The Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England, located between Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield. The parish also contains the village of Stonnall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evolution of Worcestershire county boundaries since 1844</span>

The administrative boundaries of Worcestershire, England have been fluid for over 150 years since the first major changes in 1844. There were many detached parts of Worcestershire in the surrounding counties, and conversely there were islands of other counties within Worcestershire. The 1844 Counties Act began the process of eliminating these, but the process was not completed until 1966, when Dudley was absorbed into Staffordshire.

The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) was one the Local Enterprise Partnerships set up by UK Government to drive economic development in England.

References

  1. Fawcett, Tony. "Green Belts: A greener future - Campaign to Protect Rural England".
  2. "Green Belts in England: Key facts - A series of factsheets on England's 14 Green Belts".
  3. 1 2 "CPRE - WEST MIDLANDS GREEN BELT" (PDF).
  4. "Shropshire Green Belt Assessment - FINAL REPORT - Prepared by LUC - September 2017" (PDF).
  5. Landuse.co.uk (March 2016). "Cannock Chase Green Belt Study. Final Report for Cannock Chase District Council" (PDF). Cannock Chase District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  6. "Evidence Base". Cannock Chase District Council. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  7. "Lichfield District Council - Green Belt Review 2019 - September 2019".
  8. Council, Lichfield District. "Green belt review". Lichfield District Council. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  9. "South Staffordshire Partial Green Belt Review - Method Statement - Prepared for South Staffordshire District Council by LUC - January 2014".
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Black Country Green Belt assessment". blackcountryplan.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  11. "The Plan for Stafford Borough: Part 2 - 2011-2031" (PDF). 2.19 In Stafford Borough there are two areas of Green Belt; around the North Staffordshire conurbation and in the south eastern area of the Borough which includes Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  12. "The Plan for Stafford Borough - 2011 - 2031 - Adopted - 19 June 2014" (PDF).
  13. "The Plan for Stafford Borough - Adopted Policies Maps" (PDF).
  14. "Tamworth Borough Council - Green Belt Review 2014" (PDF).
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Coventry & Warwickshire Joint Green Belt Study" (PDF).
  16. "Green Infrastructure Network".
  17. "PG1 Green Belt Assessment 2013.pdf | Birmingham City Council". www.birmingham.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  18. "Solihull Strategic Green Belt Assessment: Assessment Report - JULY 2016" (PDF).
  19. "Green Belt Purposes - Part One - Assessment: Strategic Assessment of the Green Belt Purposes - August 2019 Version - Bromsgrove District Council" (PDF).
  20. "Green Belt Purposes Assessment". www.bromsgrove.gov.uk. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  21. "A Study of Green Belt Land & Areas of Development Restraint within Redditch Borough -- Borough of Redditch Core Strategy - Background Document - 27 October 08" (PDF).
  22. 1 2 "South Worcestershire Green Belt Assessment (Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon) - Part 1: Strategic Assessment of Green Belt Purposes - Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK Limited – October 2018" (PDF).
  23. 1 2 "South Worcestershire Development Plan - Green Belt Study".
  24. Council, Wyre Forest District. "Local Plan review evidence base - Green Belt". archive.wyreforestdc.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2021.