The Black Country Core Strategy (BCCS)
The Black Country Core Strategy (BCCS) is a planning and regeneration plan for the whole of the Black Country. It is used to guide planning and development decisions.
The four Black Country councils (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton) adopted this plan in 2011.
The BCCS sets out the vision, objectives and strategy for future development in the Black Country up to 2026 and beyond. It forms the basis of Walsall's Local Development Framework. It is used to guide planning and development decisions throughout the Black Country.
Issues covered by the core strategy
The core strategy covers a wide range of issues across the area including:
- the protection and improvement of the natural and historic environment
- where jobs should be
- the location and size of new shopping, leisure and cultural facilities
- the location and type of future housing developments
- how people can move around the Black Country
- how to address the needs of the Black Country’s diverse communities
You can find out more on the Black Country Plan website, and download the strategy and appendices below:
Download list
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Black Country Core StrategyDownload PDF (3.64 MB)
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Black Country Core Strategy appendices 1, 3 to 9Download PDF (2.16 MB)
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Black Country Core Strategy appendix 2Download PDF (6.91 MB)
Unitary Development Plan Policy
The core strategy replaces certain policies in Walsall’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) (listed in Appendix 8). It does not replace UDP policies like-for-like.
The annotated version of the UDP includes further changes made when the Site Allocation Document (SAD) and Area Action Plan (AAP) were adopted.
Download list
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Unitary Development Plan - annotated 2011Download PDF (12.88 MB)
Consistency with National Planning Policy
The Government published the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2012. This was after the four Black Country local planning authorities adopted the BCCS.
The BCCS has been checked, and conforms with national policy.
You can download the completed self-assessment and a note of the meeting with the planning inspector:
Download list
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NPPF compatibility self-assessment checklist 2012Download PDF (858.84 KB)
Public consultation on Draft Black Country Plan 2039
There was a public consultation on the Draft Black Country Plan 2039 (Regulation 18) from 16 August to 5pm 11 October 2021.
The consultation is now closed.
You can view
- all the details for the consultation
- Walsall-specific evidence documents for that stage of the Black Country Plan preparation
- Black Country Plan evidence base
