Solving the West Midlands housing crisis will allow the new combined authority to demonstrate its competence, says Stella Manzie, Birmingham City Council’s chief executive.
Speaking at the West Midlands Forum for Growth in Birmingham, she asked: “Where are all those young people and highly skilled people who want to come here despite Brexit going to live?”
“This is a national issue, not just West Midlands: to stop being disingenuous about housing,” she said, adding that by making progress on housing, the new authority could show its competence.
“The combined authority, with its housing and land commission, is getting a grip on this issue, which has been bugging us for years.”
Housing development in the West Midlands is focused on former industrial sites, rather than green belt sites, she said. However, pressure is growing to release green belt land.
She said: “Some people have started to release some bits of green belt land. But some of us have very strong feelings about it, and there are choices o be made.
“There has to be, and there will be, a balance between building homes on greenfield land that is released, and brownfield land.”
To send feedback, e-mail alex.peace@egi.co.uk or tweet @egalexpeace or @estatesgazette
