Walsall Borough Housing Strategy 2026 - Content, purpose and objectives

Building Walsall 2040 – Our Housing Strategy sets out a comprehensive and ambitious framework for the future of housing across our borough. Developed in alignment with the “We Are Walsall 2040” vision, this strategy responds to local needs, national requirements and sector-wide challenges, aiming to ensure that Walsall delivers high-quality, affordable, sustainable and aspirational homes for all its residents. The strategy acknowledges the increasing pressures to deliver new homes in line with Government targets, address affordability issues and respond to the borough’s rising and ageing population. It also recognises the need for aspirational homes and the significance of market-led development in creating balanced, vibrant and economically successful communities. It is shaped by a commitment to integrating local evidence with national and regional policy, alongside the emerging Local Plan, to ensure a proactive and responsive approach to the evolving demands of Walsall’s communities.

At its core, the Walsall Housing Strategy establishes a clear policy direction for housing provision, articulating the council’s long-term vision and strategic aims for the borough. It is underpinned by a whole-council approach, recognising that housing challenges are cross-cutting and require coordinated action across all council services. This strategy serves as the basis for guiding council decisions, prioritising investment and shaping initiatives that address the complex challenges facing Walsall today and into the future. The strategy communicates the council’s expectations and ambitions to a wide range of stakeholders, including service users, housing providers, developers, private landlords and investors, building trust and fostering shared understanding. By providing a coherent framework for action, the strategy enables informed decision-making and effective resource allocation, ensuring that funding and support are directed towards areas of greatest need and opportunity.

In addition to setting out the vision, the strategy defines clear, measurable objectives and targets for housing supply, type, affordability, quality and sustainability. These targets are informed by robust local data and analysis, ensuring that the strategy is evidence-based and aligned with wider policy frameworks, including those addressing adults’ and children’s social care, health, regeneration and community development. The approach to housing delivery is shaped by the need to respond to affordability pressures, cost-of-living challenges and the increasing demand for specialist and supported housing.

In Walsall, we understand that health in the context of housing encompasses far more than the absence of illness. It is about the overall wellbeing, security and quality of life experienced by our residents. Access to good-quality, affordable and stable housing is fundamental to both physical and mental health. Conversely, poor or insecure housing can contribute to a range of issues, such as respiratory illness, stress and social isolation.

We are committed to creating communities where residents feel connected, supported and able to lead healthy lives. The design and delivery of housing and neighbourhoods will be guided by evidence that social cohesion, access to green spaces and opportunities for community engagement are key to improved health and wellbeing.

Our strategy recognises that the condition and affordability of homes, the security of tenancies and the strength of local support networks are all critical to residents’ wellbeing. We are committed to tackling the challenges arising from poor housing conditions, high housing costs and the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which can disproportionately affect vulnerable groups.

Our strategy commits to upholding clear standards and focusing on high-quality design, energy efficiency and inclusive communities to achieve our 2040 vision:

This strategy addresses several key areas of focus. It prioritises the effective use of brownfield land for regeneration and places strong emphasis on meeting the diverse and changing needs of the population, including providing suitable accommodation for adults, children, older people and individuals with disabilities or complex requirements. By addressing homelessness and domestic abuse, the strategy seeks to enhance support services and increase refuge provision, with the aim of reducing out-of-borough placements and ensuring residents can remain within the community.

As part of our commitment to fairness and inclusivity, the council is mindful of its obligations under the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring that serving personnel, veterans and their families are treated fairly and that their specific needs are considered. In this way, our approach to housing and related support reflects the principles of the covenant and strives to meet the needs of all Walsall residents.

Improving quality standards, particularly in the private rented market, and bringing empty properties back into use are identified as essential actions for creating a better living environment throughout Walsall. The strategy also confronts the challenges posed by an ageing housing stock, fuel poverty and the need for large-scale retrofitting to improve energy efficiency.

Recognising the link between housing and health, the strategy integrates housing interventions with health and ill-health prevention measures, promoting wraparound services and early intervention for vulnerable groups.

Addressing skills shortages in construction, retrofitting and modern methods of construction is highlighted as a priority, as is the need for innovative funding models to support both new housing delivery and improvements to existing stock.

The implementation of the strategy is underpinned by a detailed delivery plan that sets out the specific actions to be undertaken by the council and its partners. Adopting a whole-council, cross-service approach, the strategy ensures that housing objectives are fully integrated with broader council services and the overarching borough-wide vision for 2040.

Progress will be monitored and reviewed annually, allowing for responsive adaptation to emerging challenges and changing local and national contexts. Stakeholder engagement is central to this process, with ongoing consultation and dialogue ensuring the strategy remains relevant, inclusive and actionable.