Executive Summary
Bromsgrove District Council (BDC) has announced plans to build 9,000 new homes across the district over the next 15 years, representing one of the most significant housing challenges facing the area. Alvechurch Village, classified as a “Larger Settlement,” is expected to accommodate some of the future housing for the Bromsgrove District, presenting unique challenges given that all of Alvechurch Parish land is now designated as Green Belt, apart from the very inner parts of Alvechurch Village.
Key Takeaway: Alvechurch faces the complex challenge of accommodating its share of 9,000 new homes while preserving Green Belt land and maintaining the village character, requiring careful community input through the ongoing consultation process, which runs until 22 September 2025.
Background Context
Government Housing Mandate
The Government requires Bromsgrove to build 9,000 homes in the next 15 years as part of national housing targets. This is not optional but a government-imposed requirement that the district must meet to avoid potential intervention by central authorities.
Green Belt Challenges
Bromsgrove district is 89 per cent green belt (among the highest, if not the highest, in the UK). Some of that will have to be sacrificed as part of the Local Plan – meeting the demand for housing and the Government’s targets. For Alvechurch specifically, this presents a particular challenge as all of Alvechurch Parish land is now GREEN BELT, apart from the very inner parts of Alvechurch Village, and the Parish has no available land left for future building, only areas within the Green Belt land.
Previous Development Completed
The new Alveston Close development has been completed, and the site on the corner of Old Rectory Lane and Birmingham Road (Rectory Gardens), which had been approved for 28 houses, is now complete. These two sites should take the Parish’s provision for housing up to 2023, meaning all previously allocated non-Green Belt sites have been exhausted.
Current Planning Process
Local Plan Development Timeline
The development of Bromsgrove’s new Local Plan follows a structured five-stage process:
- Stages 1-2 (Completed): Information gathering and site assessment
- Stage 3 (Current): A 12-week consultation to gather more information from the community will now start next Monday (30 June). It will run until 22 September.
- Stage 4 (2026): ‘Preferred Options’ consultation
- Stage 5 (2028): Final plan adoption
Site Assessment Process
The process began with Bromsgrove District Council issuing a call to landowners who had land that could be developed for housing and other infrastructure. The authority received a good response, with 400 pieces of land submitted for consideration. The Draft Development Strategy has been completed by officers who have worked closely with elected members from all areas of the district. The draft strategy has been compiled based on an initial assessment of over 400 sites.
Current Consultation
From Monday, 30 June, residents will be able to access consultation materials here and at Alvechurch, Bromsgrove, Catshill, Hagley, Rubery, and Wythall libraries. This consultation represents a critical opportunity for community input before final decisions are made.
Alvechurch’s Position and Protections
Existing Neighbourhood Plan
Alvechurch has significant protection through its existing Neighbourhood Plan. At a meeting of the Full Council on 27 February 2019, Bromsgrove District Council decided to ‘make’ the Alvechurch Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2011-2030, which now forms part of the statutory development plan for determining planning applications in the neighbourhood area. The referendum, held on 10 January 2019, was successful, achieving a turnout of 36.6%. Over 96% of those who voted were in favour of the plan.
Community Voice in Development
Alvechurch Parish Council wanted the people of the Parish to have a say in all aspects of the future of the parish area, but most importantly, it wanted local people to decide where new housing allocated by the Bromsgrove District Council’s Local Plan should be located. The Neighbourhood Plan provides a framework for this community input.
Sustainable Development Focus
The Neighbourhood Plan suggests that to be sustainable, all future development should ideally be within a reasonable walking distance of Alvechurch Village Centre, emphasising the importance of sustainable site selection that doesn’t overwhelm existing infrastructure.
Infrastructure Concerns and Challenges
Current Infrastructure Capacity
APNP1 recognised that some managed change is beneficial to communities. It stressed the need for more housing for older people, social housing and those embarking on the property ladder but warned that too much change could overwhelm local facilities and destroy the character and identity of a historic village.
Parish Council Response
APC recognises that pressure may arise for further phases of new housing but feels that this should be considered only when there is clear evidence that Parish infrastructure can cope, such as improved primary healthcare facilities, and only after community consultation. The Parish Council has recently engaged the services of a consultant who advises on planning law and policy. A new work plan is being developed to assess in detail whether the Parish, its infrastructure, and its facilities can cope with significantly more houses.
Transportation and Connectivity
The Parish is also well-connected by good transport links of all types, including (by road) the north-south A441 and the east-west M42, (by rail) the Redditch-Lichfield cross-city service, and (by canal) the Worcester–Birmingham Canal, which provides some advantages for sustainable development.
Political and Procedural Context
Council Decision-Making
The vote was won by 18 votes to eight. The 18 who voted in favour were all the Conservatives and Labour councillors, along with two independents. The eight who voted against were two independents and all Liberal Democrats. The decision to proceed with consultation was contentious, with some councillors arguing for multiple options rather than a single development strategy.
Risk of Government Intervention
By not having a Local Plan, it was stated that Bromsgrove District could be left open to unscrupulous and hostile development. Developers could come forward with applications for any land they owned or parcels they could purchase in any area of the district, and these would have to be considered. This creates urgency for the Local Plan process.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
In February 2025, the council approved a new Local Development Scheme, which identified that consultation on a draft Local Plan would begin in May or June 2025. If approved, the consultation on the Draft Development Strategy will mean that the council has met its stated aim and satisfied the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that Bromsgrove District Council is committed to plan-making.
Broader Regional Context
Green Belt Development Pressures
The challenges facing Alvechurch reflect wider pressures on Green Belt areas across England. The OECD found that the responsiveness of housing supply to demand in the UK was the weakest among developed countries, primarily due to the presence of green belt policies. However, there are 59,600 hectares of green belt land within a 25-minute walk of a train station within our successful cities, and 140,000 hectares including surrounding authorities, suggesting opportunities for strategic development.
Community Resistance Patterns
Similar developments across the country face significant community opposition. For example, Plans for an 800-home development on 52 hectares of green belt land in Shropshire have received 1,117 objections as the consultation period comes to a close, illustrating the pattern of strong local resistance to Green Belt development.
Future Timeline and Next Steps
Review of Neighbourhood Plan
The Neighbourhood Plan will need to be reviewed as the District Council allocates new homes and employment land to Alvechurch Parish in their proposed draft Local Plan and Green Belt review to be completed by 2023. As soon as housing allocations have been made in the Local Authority review for Alvechurch Parish Council, the NP Steering Group will need to restart work to review the Neighbourhood Plan.
Consultation Opportunities
It means that residents and stakeholders, including the NHS, education, utility, and transport providers, will be able to respond to planning issues, such as the location of development and the need for sufficient services, facilities, and infrastructure. The current consultation period represents the most significant opportunity for community input before the preferred options stage in 2026.
Long-term Planning Horizon
The plan will control the long-term development of the district for up to the next 20 years, making the current decisions particularly significant for Alvechurch’s future.
Key Recommendations and Considerations
For Residents and Community Groups
- Participate in the Current Consultation: The consultation runs until 22 September 2025 and represents the primary opportunity for community input.
- Leverage Existing Neighbourhood Plan: Use the 2019 plan as a foundation for advocating for sustainable development principles.
- Focus on Infrastructure Capacity: Highlight specific concerns about schools, healthcare, and transport infrastructure.
- Engage with the Parish Council: Collaborate with local representatives who conduct detailed assessments of infrastructure capacity.
For Planning Considerations
- Sustainable Site Selection: Prioritise sites within walking distance of the village centre and existing services
- Infrastructure Investment: Ensure adequate provision for education, healthcare, and transport before development proceeds
- Phased Development: Consider developing in phases to assess infrastructure impact before proceeding
- Community Character Protection: Balance housing needs with the preservation of historic village character
Conclusion
The requirement for 9,000 new homes across Bromsgrove District over 15 years represents an unprecedented challenge for communities like Alvechurch. While the village must contribute its share to meeting government housing targets, the strong community voice established through the existing Neighbourhood Plan, combined with the current consultation process, provides mechanisms for ensuring development proceeds sustainably and with appropriate infrastructure provision.
The next few months of consultation will be critical in shaping how this challenge is addressed, making community engagement essential for protecting Alvechurch’s character while meeting legitimate housing needs. The success of this process will depend on striking a balance between national housing requirements and local community concerns, as well as ensuring sufficient infrastructure capacity.
