Pressure to build 61,000 new homes in the Black Country over the next decade could result in modern day slums, it was claimed today.

A Government white paper says three million homes need to be built in Britain by 2020 with Sandwell’s target being 12,000-15,000. About 14,700 new homes are set to be built in Wolverhampton. 

Sandwell Council housing officers say making numbers of homes the priority over creating proper communities may lead to a lack of quality homes.

In the early 1800s many people were in dirty slum areas with cramped, back-to-back homes. 

andwell Council is concerned too many homes could create a modern day version. They also question where money will come from to support new “communities”, and pay for health centres, leisure facilities and schools.

The council built about 619 homes in 2001 but this figure must more than double from 2008-11 to about 1,300, and could end up somewhere in the region of 15,000 by 2020. 

Peter John, housing strategy operations director, puts concerns in a report to next Wednesday’s council cabinet. He adds: “Housing is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about people and communities – emphasis of paper needs to change and have cohesion at its core.

“Sandwell needs to find more land for housing but this must not be at the expanse of quality employment land and quality urban environment if we are to sustain balanced communities.

“Quality not quantity of housing is an important issue.”

He said Sandwell needs to consider wider considerations such as finding for health, leisure and schools.

Councillor Bob Badham said: “We have to balance things. I think we can meet this amount but there’s no point building all these homes if there is not enough employment land and there are no jobs for people.”

Old and outdated properties, including high-rise flats and maisonettes have already been cleared in Harvills Hawthorn to make way for new, modern homes.