Solihull Council is asking for feedback on two key planning documents for the borough.
The first document, the Draft Solihull Settlement Hierarchy looks at Solihull's rural settlements, and in particular which, if any of them, should be considered as towns rather than villages in the context of the new national Green Belt planning policy.
The document suggests which of the rural settlements should be considered as towns, and the Council is keen to receive feedback on the approach and conclusions.
The second, the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how the Council will consult with local communities, stakeholders, and developers on all planning matters.
This includes the preparation of planning policy that sets out the long-term vision and development strategy for the borough, as well as the determination of planning applications submitted to the Council.
The Draft Solihull Settlement Hierarchy consultation can be accessed here, with any feedback received to be used to determine whether and to what extent the approach and conclusions should be adopted and used when determining relevant planning applications.
The SCI consultation can be viewed here and any feedback received will be carefully considered as the document is developed further.
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Planning, commented:
“The new government’s targets are putting pressure on our land and so it is important that we work together to mitigate the impact. Now is the right time to look at the hierarchy of our rural settlements, following the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024 and the update to Planning Practice Guidance earlier this year.
“There are clearly now specific consequences to whether a settlement is considered a village or a town, which will influence the interpretation of Green Belt policy and have implications for the location of new development. We must therefore give more consideration to how a settlement is classed and want to hear people’s views on this.
“We also want to make sure that planning decisions are shaped by the people who live, work and are invested in Solihull, which is the aim of the SCI. We are keen for people to share any feedback on this important document, as the planning system shapes important decisions about where homes, businesses and shops will be and where open spaces are created and preserved.
“I encourage people to share their views with us before the closing date of Monday 25 August.”
Both surveys are open from Friday 11 July and will close on Monday 25 August 2025 at 11:59pm.