45,000 homes planned for Black Country Garden City

A £6BN plan to create 45,000 homes as part of a Black Country Garden City will be put in front of international property investors in France this week.

The proposed Garden City would be built across 31 urban areas around Wolverhampton, which will combine to form the City.

The concept was originally developed by a group of local built environment professionals working with the regional design agency MADE. It will use brownfield land and existing infrastructure across the Black Country to address housing needs.

The proposed development is being led by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and the Homes and Communities Agency, with the support of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The region is seeking £6bn in investment across 550 sites and will be setting its stall out to potential investors at the annual MIPIM property festival in Cannes this week.

“The Garden City is a vital part of the Black Country’s growth plans and future success,” said Dr Chris Handy, Black Country LEP board member.

“Not the since the Second World War has a Garden City been built on this scale or at this speed. It’s going to transform the perception of the Black Country and demonstrate to the rest of Britain that we are a region that is going places.”

Building work is set to start this year and is scheduled to be completed by 2026.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark added: “The Black Country Garden City symbolises the region’s ambition. It will deliver modern new housing that will be a magnet for business investment, notably in advanced manufacturing and construction, which will boost the local economy and supply the houses local families want.”