The Forward Planning team is primarily responsible for the production of Planning policies and proposals for Solihull. This has over the last decade taken the form of a Unitary Development Plan (UDP)

A new planning system has now been introduced (September 2004) whereby UDPs will gradually be replaced by a folder of different planning policy and proposal documents known as a Local Development Framework.

The Solihull Local Development Scheme is the first of these documents to be produced under the new planning system. The scheme is a public statement of the Council's work programme for producing the planning documents to go into the new Local Development Framework.

Until such time as it is fully replaced by new planning policy and proposal documents prepared under the new planning system, the UDP will remain the key planning policy document.

The UDP identifies adequate land to meet future housing and business needs. It contains policies to guide transportation, shopping and recreational development and measures to protect the Green Belt and countryside from speculative development as well as ensuring that nature conservation interests are protected.

Associated with the UDP is a monitoring function, the results of which are used at a regional and national level. Members of the team work with other local authorities within the West Midlands Region and Warwickshire to achieve this.

The team is also involved in a range of functions such as the formulation of Strategies for Canals, Nature Conservation , Countryside (90 kb, draft), draft Green Spaces Strategy and has a strategic input into transportation policies and economic and environmental issues.

Another major responsibility of the team is for demographic information. This includes data from Censuses of Population since 1961 (key 1991 data is available online and 2001 Census data will be Internet based from mid 2003), population estimates and projections , and unemployment statistics (which are available at Ward level at monthly intervals.

Supplementary Planning Guidance

New Housing in Context

The Council has prepared supplementary planning guidance (SPG) on Windfall Development on Residential Sites.

The SPG has been prepared jointly by Solihull MBC and John Simpson & Partners Ltd, Architects, Designers and Urban Planners and has been approved by elected Members of the Council.

View the Guidance: Supplementary Planning Guidance New housing in context 600kb

Affordable Housing

The Council has recently prepared supplementary planning guidance (SPG) on Affordable Housing. This guidance is important in the implementation of the affordable housing policy, set out in the Council’s Unitary Development Plan.

View the Guidance: SPG Affordable Housing

Development Briefs

Former Powergen Site

The Council has produced a draft development brief for the former Powergen Site in Shirley.

The brief has been prepared to guide the future development of the site and set out the principles that any development should follow. The site acts as a gateway to the Borough and offers the opportunity to improve the contribution the site makes to the character of the wider area.

The draft brief has been prepared by the Council with urban design input from Lovejoy, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers and Planners. The draft brief has been for the subject of public consultation during September/October 2005. Results of the consultation will be reported to The Cabinet Member for Regeneration in November.

View the draft brief:

Note: Some of the maps that form part of the development brief are large files that may take a considerable time to download. If you experience difficulties viewing the maps, please contact the Forward Planning Team By email: ForwardPlans@solihull.gov.uk

Contact

For more information please see Contact Planning Services available from all Planning Services pages

Please contact web@solihull.gov.uk for comments about this web page, which was updated 14 October 2005.

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