Solihull Planning Policy

Planning policy in Solihull is made up of:

• the development plan for the Borough
• our emerging new local plan
• a range of supplementary planning documents that support the implementation of local and national policies

From time to time the Council issues news items that may relate to the local plan or planning policy. This page brings all those news items together for ease of reference.

The Borough’s adopted development plan

The development plan for the Borough is made up of a number of plans including the following:

• The Solihull Local Plan (2013).
• Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (2014).
• Various ‘made’ Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDP) which are as follows:
  • Hampton in Arden NDP
  • Knowle, Dorridge and Bentley Heath NDP
  • Berkswell NDP
  • Balsall NDP
  • Meriden NDP

New Local Plan (2026 to 43)

In November 2025 the Council commenced work on preparing a new Local Plan for the Borough which is expected to cover the period 2026 to 43.

Previous Local Plan Review

After the legal challenge to the 2013 plan, the Council commenced work on a Local Plan Review in 2015. We published our Draft Submission Plan in October 2020, which was then submitted for examination in May 2021.

The examination process coincided with significant changes in national planning policy, and the 2020 plan was withdrawn from examination in October 2024.

Our Local Plan archive

Although the plan was withdrawn, we are offering an archive of the work undertaken from 2015 to 2024. Evidence supporting the plan can be used to determine relevant planning applications.

For archive purposes additional information can be found as follows:

• The withdrawal notice.
• The examination page.
• The examination library (which includes the draft submission plan and evidence documents).
• Archive pages explaining the work undertaken from 2015 until the Draft Submission plan was published in 2020.

Other planning policy

The Council has published a range of supplementary documents (SPDs).

While SPDs are not new, they can help with the implementation of existing policy.

West Midlands Spatial Development Strategy

The Combined Authority has started work on preparing a Spatial Development Strategy for the West Midlands.

The strategy presents an opportunity for the region to work collaboratively on housing and commercial growth, integrating transport, energy, and social infrastructure. It will be expected that new local plans will be in ‘general conformity’ with the Spatial Development Strategy.

There is a dedicated web page at the Combined Authority that will be updated as the strategy progresses.