In a major boost for housing in the region, Walsall Council and whg (Walsall Housing Group) have this week signed a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) aimed at accelerating the delivery of affordable homes across the borough.
Under this agreement, the planning process for residential developments will be streamlined, helping to remove bottlenecks that often delay construction. Already, whg has identified over 500 disused garage sites which could be repurposed into new housing units. Ten small sites have reportedly begun using the faster planning pathway.
John Bedford, whg’s Assistant Director of Special Projects, said:
“The PPA demonstrates the trust the council has in our ability to deliver well-designed and high-performing homes, while also providing a robust framework that will accelerate our projects.”
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader of Walsall Council, added that the partnership marks “a great step forward … to deliver more quality local homes for local people.”
This deal comes amid mounting pressure on councils nationwide to address housing shortages and affordability — and represents a significant local effort to make use of underutilised land.