The WMCA “Consultation” Con: How a Green Gazebo in New Square Threatens Sandwell’s Future
If the WMCA wanted to show how little they value public engagement, they nailed it at New Square. A single gazebo, two post-it notes, and zero information — all for a regional Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) that could reshape Sandwell’s land, nature reserves, contaminated sites, and housing for decades.
A Consultation in Name Only
I’ve seen some dreadful attempts at “public engagement,” but what the WMCA delivered at New Square, West Bromwich for their Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) consultation set a new low.
A lonely green gazebo.
Barely any branding.
A tiny table with two fading post-it notes.
No maps.
No documents.
No site information.
No SDS explanation.
And the single staff member was visibly preparing to pack up by 2:30pm — despite a 4pm advertised finish.
This wasn’t consultation.
This was camouflage.
A tick-box exercise so the WMCA can later claim:
“We engaged the public.”
What the SDS Really Means for Sandwell
The Spatial Development Strategy is the regional blueprint that will sit above Local Plans and determine:
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where thousands of new homes go
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which boroughs take on overspill from others
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which sites become “strategic growth locations”
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which open spaces are “reviewed” for development
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how Green Belt and Grey Belt are treated
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what counts as “constraints” versus “opportunities”
And yes — this includes sites WMCA has already been eyeing:
🔸 Rattlechain Lagoon
Toxic legacy, phosphorus contamination, bird deaths, fires, years of industrial waste, and now quietly floating on the “regeneration” radar.
🔸 Sheepwash Local Nature Reserve
A designated SINC and LNR, rewilded habitat, ecologically rich — yet constantly under pressure from speculative development and “vision” strategies.
🔸 Duport’s Tip & Surrounding Land
Heavily contaminated, historically mismanaged, but still lurking on long-term “opportunity” lists.
🔸 Bescot / Friar Park
WMCA’s current flagship — the model they want to replicate elsewhere:
brownfield branding + big numbers + little transparency = fast-tracked development.
And yet the SDS consultation stall at New Square told the public exactly none of this.
Not one map.
Not one site list.
Not one mention of nature reserves, contamination, constraints, or risk.
The Playbook: Tell the Public Nothing, Then Claim Support
WMCA is under pressure from Government to deliver:
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mandatory housing targets
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52,000+ homes across the region
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large-scale “strategic sites”
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cross-boundary redistribution
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rapid brownfield delivery
Which means they need land.
Lots of land.
And Sandwell’s brownfield, greyfield, former industrial and rewilded areas are being quietly lined up.
The New Square “consultation” wasn’t poor because of incompetence.
It was poor because too much information would cause uproar.
A gazebo with nothing in it is far easier to ignore than a boardroom full of residents demanding answers.
Rattlechain: The Toxic Truth Missing From the Stall
If WMCA had been honest, New Square would’ve featured:
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Rattlechain’s contamination history
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white phosphorus evidence
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bird deaths
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regulatory failures
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fire incidents
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remediation uncertainties
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and the risks of placing homes or commercial development adjacent to a legacy toxic site
Instead — nothing.
The SDS is their mechanism to quietly bring sites like Rattlechain forward in the name of “regional necessity”.
But they won't put that on a banner.
Sheepwash: Protected on Paper, Vulnerable in Reality
Sheepwash Local Nature Reserve is officially protected.
But anyone watching Sandwell’s planning record knows protection can disappear when politically inconvenient.
WMCA’s SDS could reframe the edges of Sheepwash as “supporting infrastructure”, “sustainable connections”, or “strategic opportunity zones”.
This should terrify anyone who actually values nature in Sandwell.
Bescot / Friar Park: The Warning
If people think Rattlechain or Sheepwash are safe because the council isn’t shouting about development there today, remember this:
They didn’t shout about Bescot either —
until the diggers were practically warming up.
WMCA has a model.
This is it.
Where This Leaves Sandwell
We now know:
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WMCA wants strategic development across the region
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Sandwell is vulnerable due to its land profile
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Contaminated and rewilded sites are being viewed as “opportunities”
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The SDS gives them the power to override local objections
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And the consultation was deliberately opaque
This is not partnership.
This is manoeuvring
#Sandwell #WestMidlands #WMCA #SDS #SpatialDevelopmentStrategy #Rattlechain #Sheepwash #FriarPark #Bescot #Regeneration #Brownfield #Environment #NatureReserve #Planning #PublicEngagement #Accountability #SaveOurSpaces #LocalDemocracy #CommunityVoice #StopTheLandGrab #SandwellPolitics
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