Meeting 3 summary
Introduction
The third meeting of the West Midlands Residents' Assembly focused on housing, exploring how many homes the region needs, what types of homes are required, and the challenges involved in delivering them.
As part of its work to inform the West Midlands' Spatial Development Strategy (SDS), members considered how housing needs are identified and the different factors that influence decisions about where new homes should be built. Building on earlier discussions about planning and the Green Belt, the session explored how the region can provide enough homes to support future growth while creating places where people want to live.
What this meeting covered
During the meeting, members learned about the factors used to assess housing need, including population growth, housing demand, available land, transport connections, infrastructure and environmental considerations. They heard about the important role that brownfield land can play in meeting housing needs, alongside the challenges of delivering the right homes in the right locations.
The session also explored affordable housing and the concept of viability, which considers whether developments can be delivered while meeting planning requirements and remaining financially achievable. Members heard how local planning authorities can negotiate with developers to secure more affordable homes and explored a case study where affordable housing provision increased from 27% to 35%, resulting in more than 160 additional affordable homes.
Members considered whether the current housing system always delivers the homes that communities need and discussed the balance between market-led development and housing based on local need. They also explored the importance of providing a wider range of housing options and increasing the supply of affordable homes across the region.
A case study of the Port Loop development in Birmingham demonstrated how new housing can be combined with green spaces, community facilities and high-quality design to create attractive and sustainable neighbourhoods.
Throughout the session, the Assembly discussed the opportunities and challenges involved in meeting housing needs, including:
- Balancing housing demand with wider community priorities.
- Increasing the delivery of affordable homes.
- Providing a greater variety of housing types.
- Creating sustainable communities that support quality of life.
Assembly members took part in small group discussions, asked questions of expert speakers and shared their own views and experiences to help build a broader understanding of housing delivery across the West Midlands.
This meeting highlighted that planning for future housing involves balancing a range of social, economic and environmental factors. Members explored how good planning can help create sustainable communities and provide homes that meet the needs of current and future generations.
The Residents' Assembly will continue over the coming months, with members developing ideas and exploring possible solutions before agreeing recommendations that will be shared with the West Midlands Combined Authority and local councils to help shape the Spatial Development Strategy.
Need more information?
If you would like to view the presentation slides from this meeting or future sessions, please email engagement@wmca.org.uk.