Dozens of new homes could be built in a bid to encourage people to live in Sandwell.
The population has dipped by 35,000 people in the last 30 years.
A bid is now being made for Government cash under the regeneration scheme called Growth Point where money is available to authorities planning to build higher levels of homes than previously agreed.
Sandwell Council is proposing that Smethwick could be a starting point for the project, concentrating around the Windmill Eye neighbourhood, the most deprived area in the borough.
The plan will help rebuild Sandwell’s population, which has declined by around 35,000 from 320,000 to the 285,000 since 1974.
Council’s deputy leader, Councillor Steve Eling, said that the level of investment and the number of homes involved is not known at this stage.
8 Comments
I left sandwell 10 years ago, best thing i ever did. the place is filthy and beyond repair. who in there right mind would want to live in “sandwell”??
Good riddance to you Gaz. We don’t need illiterate, arrogant, aggressive and selfish morons like you anyway.
There is nothing wrong with Sandwell, but there are a minority who try to spoil things for everyone, but then again you can get thsat in the most picturesque of places. Sandwell has a lot of history and the residents should be proud to live in Sandwell….I am.
I left Sandwell 30 years ago, still miss it, its alot better than where i live at the moment Rotherham.
I left Sandwell 30 years ago and still miss the place
Andrew Popovitch, however much you despise gaz wba’s comment, he does have a point. Why else would so many choose not to live here? The place where I live in an absolute disgrace, it’s a cultural void. If I had the choice I would never live here - and no, I don’t hate my country. I love it. But out of every single place I have ever lived and worst in Europe, this is by far the worst and statistics will back that up. Sandwell is a complete disgrace, a filthy hovel run by an incompetent council.
People always say how much they miss the place..well, come back if you can. I don’t miss it and in fact I know of many who simply cannot wait to see the back of it. I’m not prepared to have my hard work thrown away, my family living in dirty, over-crowded confines and my security put at risk for the ‘privilege’ of living here. Forget it. I am ashamed to say I come from here no matter what history you want to dig up. This is not England, this is slum England.
The number of homes isn’t even known..that’s how integrated, how forward-thinking Sandwell’s ‘planning’ is. Also, Smethwick was chosen because despite the claim the population is falling, that is simply not the case in certain neighbourhoods. There isn’t enough housing because the people are continuing to have such large families, and some of those people demand nothing but large houses. It was in the paper. Sandwell is expensive, dirty, over-crowded and housing is only an issue when there’s land to sell or private partnerships to establish. You’ll still be reading this in 20 years time.