Local Plan Review 2026-2043 Issues and Options Consultation

Solihull Planning Context

38. The current adopted Local Plan for the Borough was adopted in 2013^[9] and was intended to cover the period to 2028. In 2015 a local plan review process commenced to bring forward a replacement plan.
     
39. This review process culminated with the submission of the 2020 (Draft Submission Plan) for examination in May 2021. However, following significant changes to national planning policy during this period, the plan was withdrawn from examination in October 2024. Despite the Inspectors concerns about the land supply included in the plan, it was noted that the examination process established that:

• That the duty-to-cooperate had been complied with.
• The overall spatial strategy of the Plan was appropriate.
• The housing allocations were, in principle, appropriate (and by implication this supports the site selection methodology).

40. Following withdrawal of the 2020 plan, work commenced on bringing forward a new plan with the launch of a call-for-sites exercise over the period November 2024 to February 2025.
     
41. A timetable for the new plan was set out^[10] as follows:

• Winter 24/25 – launch Call-for-Sites exercise
• Autumn 25 – publish a Regulation 18 Preferred Options Plan
• Summer 26 – publish a Regulation 19 Draft Submission Plan
• Autumn 26 – Submit plan for examination
• Winter 26/27 – Examination hearings
• Summer/autumn 27 – Plan adoption

42. It was recognised that this was a challenging timescale that would also be subject to external influences, for instance:

• Planning reforms, including an updated NPPF, the emerging Planning & Infrastructure Bill and enactments of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act (2023).
• Potential changes to the duty-to-cooperate.

Local Development Scheme – November 2025

43. In November 2025 consideration^[11] was given to whether this timescale was still appropriate. Changes to national planning policy and the emergence of formal regional (or at least sub-regional) planning outlined above led the Council to conclude that the timetable set in December 2024 should be updated.
     
44. It had been hoped that the emerging plan would be produced, examined and adopted under the plan-making arrangements stemming from the 2024 Act. This would have required the plan to have been submitted for examination by December 2026. However, when consideration was given to updating the LDS it was believed that there was sufficient doubt about this timescale being met such that the Council may need to have switched to the new plan-making arrangements. Hence the decision to update the LDS to reflect the timetable as follows:

• Winter 2025/26: Issues and Options Consultation (informal stage outside the formal arrangements under the new 30-month plan-making arrangements).
• Winter 2026/27: Mandatory Public Consultation no. 1 (under the new plan-making arrangements). There is potential for this to contain the level of detail typically found in a preferred option consultation.
• Summer 2027: Mandatory Public Consultation no. 2. This is likely to be similar to the R19 draft submission plan stage and would be the version of the Plan the Council expects to submit for examination.
• Winter 2027/28 - spring 2028: Examination
• Spring 2028: Adoption

Updating the Local Development Scheme Further

45. Having reviewed progress to date, the Council believes there remains a possibility that this emerging local plan can still be completed under the legacy system. However, to do so it is recognised that meeting the December 2026 has clear timetable challenges and whilst the Council will seek to proceed on this basis, there may be circumstances beyond its control that may prevent this being achieved.
     
46. Nevertheless, it is prudent for the Council to be clear that this consultation is published as a formal consultation under regulation 18 of the Town & Country Planning (Local Planning) Regulations 2012, and representations should be made on this basis. The next stage will be for the Council to publish the Regulation 19 (R19) version of the plan, which it will seek to do so in late summer/early autumn 2026^[12].
     
47. In due course the Council will update both its Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement to reflect the approach it is intending to take.

Scope of the Intended Regulation 19 Plan

48. Paragraph 72 of the NPPF sets out that planning policies should identify a supply of specific, deliverable sites for five years following the intended date of adoption of the plan and specific, developable site, or [emphasis added] broad locations for growth, for subsequent years (i.e. years 6-15). This means that the Council does have a choice when approaching the drafting of the R19 version of the plan and it needn’t be specific about the sites needed in years 6-15 of the plan. The Council’s preferred approach is that the flexibility offered by this paragraph of the NPPF will be exercised and it is intended to rely on this paragraph and identify broad locations for growth in years 6-15 of the plan rather than specific sites.
     
49. It is believed that this approach would be reasonable and proportionate given the SDS, which is emerging from the WMCA, and that a subsequent plan for Solihull will need to be prepared to reflect this.
     
50. In taking this approach, it is recognised that it should expect to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable sites upon adoption of the plan.

Relationship to Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDPs)

51. Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDP) are bought forward by local communities and following a successful examination and referendum they then become ‘made’ plans that are formally part of the development plan for the Borough. The following NDPs have been made:

• Hampton in Arden – August 2017
• Knowle, Dorridge & Bentley Heath – April 2019
• Berkswell – September 2019
• Balsall – June 2021
• Meriden – June 2021

52. Some of these plans are in the process of being updated, and others may also come forward. They will be expected to be in conformity with the Local Plan.