Coventry Conservative councillors have warned that new planning powers intended for West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker could weaken local control over major developments and increase pressure on the city’s Green Belt.
The Conservative councillors are calling for clear assurances that Coventry’s protected land and residents’ concerns will not be overridden in the drive to meet regional development targets.
Their warning follows this week’s West Midlands Combined Authority Local Scrutiny Committee meeting on Monday, 12 October, where officials discussed preparations for the region’s Spatial Development Strategy (SDS), with its release expected in the autumn. Development on Green Belt land was not ruled out during the discussion.
The regional strategy will help shape where future homes, employment and infrastructure are located. Although it will not itself redraw Green Belt boundaries, the councillors fear its priorities could place additional pressure on councils to release protected land.
Alongside this, the Government intends to introduce mayoral call-in powers in early 2027. These would allow Richard Parker to take over decisions on qualifying major planning applications that would otherwise be determined by local councils.
Councillor John Blundell Leader of Coventry’s Conservative Group said:
“These changes could put significant decisions about Coventry’s future into the Mayor’s hands, reducing the control exercised by locally elected councillors.
“A regional strategy may not redraw Green Belt boundaries itself, but it can still create pressure for land to be released. That is why residents need to know what is being considered and how they can influence it.
“Coventry needs investment, homes and jobs. We should prioritise suitable brownfield sites, protect valued Green Belt and make sure infrastructure keeps pace with development.
“The Mayor should work with our communities and respect their knowledge of the city. Local scrutiny must remain meaningful, and any decision to take over a Coventry planning application must be publicly justified.”
Councillor Mattie Heaven, Deputy Leader of Coventry’s Conservative Group, said:
“For Coventry residents, these changes could mean more power in the hands of West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and less control for their local council over major developments.
“Coventry residents deserve a real say in decisions that could change their neighbourhoods forever. Handing more power to the Mayor must not mean taking that influence away from the communities who will live with the consequences.
“For residents in Coventry, the impact of development is deeply personal. It affects the roads they use, access to local services and the character of the places they call home.
“We need homes, but development must come with the infrastructure to support it. Residents are entitled to answers about roads, schools and GP services before decisions are made.
“Richard Parker must explain how he will protect Coventry’s Green Belt and respect local concerns. Simply saying these powers will be used sparingly is not enough.”
The councillors are calling on Richard Parker and the WMCA to publish clear information about the implications of the strategy for Coventry, explain the safeguards governing mayoral intervention and ensure residents have meaningful opportunities to shape proposals before decisions are taken.
