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It is recognised that the Inspector concluded that the Council had complied with the duty to cooperate. However, whilst the key question may well be whether engagement has been constructive and maximised the effectiveness of the Plan, it is nevertheless considered that the level of housing need to be met IS a material consideration. Apart from the cooperation necessary to understand the housing needs across Coventry and Warwickshire Housing Market Area it is suggested that a degree of greater emphasis may need to be placed on the unmet and growing needs of the Greater Birmingham area.
It is suggested that unmet need will only grow as Birmingham continues to grow, plus the effects of HS2 and other transport linkages, so it is essential that the Warwick Plan should recognise that need and make provision now.

By way of example, the Birmingham Development Plan identifies the need for 37,900 houses to be supplied in Authorities outside its own area. The means by which these are to be supplied is not specified but it is suggested that additional focus is required both in the SHMA AND in neighbouring Authorities. It will NOT be acceptable just to say that discussions are ongoing as a means of complying with the Duty to Cooperate and actually supplying the needed homes.

Failing to properly and effectively discharge that Duty, could render the plan out of date before it is adopted and as result, it is unsound.