diff --git a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
index 95427cb2..1c4df5fe 100644
--- a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
+++ b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
@@ -576,18 +576,6 @@ def _discover_resolvers():
         )
         return filter(None, declared)
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _local(cls, root='.'):
-        from pep517 import build, meta
-
-        system = build.compat_system(root)
-        builder = functools.partial(
-            meta.build,
-            source_dir=root,
-            system=system,
-        )
-        return PathDistribution(zipp.Path(meta.build_as_zip(builder)))
-
     @property
     def metadata(self) -> _meta.PackageMetadata:
         """Return the parsed metadata for this Distribution.
diff --git a/tests/test_integration.py b/tests/test_integration.py
index 00e9021a..a73fad9c 100644
--- a/tests/test_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_integration.py
@@ -44,13 +44,6 @@ def __getattribute__(self, name):
         _compat.disable_stdlib_finder()
 
 
-class LocalProjectTests(fixtures.LocalPackage, unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_find_local(self):
-        dist = Distribution._local()
-        assert dist.metadata['Name'] == 'local-pkg'
-        assert dist.version == '2.0.1'
-
-
 class DistSearch(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_search_dist_dirs(self):
         """