Residents living in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton will have until 8 September to have their say on how the Black Country Core Strategy should be updated.
The Core Strategy is a planning document which will decide where new development will be distributed, across the 4 authorities, from now until 2036, including where new homes should be built.
The consultation document says around 80,000 new homes need to be built in the Black Country before 2036. It says sites have already been earmarked for around 60,000. But new plots of land need to be found for around 22,000 properties as the population and economy of the area continues to grow.
There is also a need to find 300 hectares of new land to build new factories and businesses and create new jobs.
As part of the consultation, there is a "Call for Sites" where people can put forward areas of land they feel may be suitable for development.
City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor John Reynolds, said: "The Black Country has witnessed a surge of regeneration in recent years, particularly in the City of Wolverhampton.
"We want to continue this success by reviewing the Core Strategy to meet the future needs and aspirations of the Black Country by providing a balanced mix of new homes and jobs and protecting and enhancing the environment.
"I encourage residents to get involved in the consultation on the first stage of the Core Strategy review process which will help shape the future of the City of Wolverhampton and the Black Country."
The Black Country Core Strategy outlines how many homes need to be built and how to plan for the number of extra jobs needed for a growing population. It also decides where new homes and businesses should be located.
The original document was launched 6 years ago and covers the period up to 2026. The public consultation will be on a review of the document to take it up to 2036.
The information from the consultation will be collated and fed into production of a Preferred Spatial Option document, which will go out to consultation next year.
People can find out more about the consultation and take part at blackcountrycorestrategy.dudley.gov.uk or pick up a leaflet from a local library or request one by calling 01384 814136.
- released: Monday 3 July, 2017