Solihull Council is progressing its local plan with a comprehensive 200-page draft scheduled for consideration by senior councillors next week. This strategic document outlines the borough’s proposed development trajectory up to 2043, addressing the growing pressure to meet government targets for new housing provision.
The plan responds to the government’s requirement for 8,500 new homes in Solihull by 2029 and reflects substantial updates to national planning policies since the council’s previous plan was published in 2020. A draft plan released earlier had to be withdrawn due to these evolving standards.
According to the draft, the annual housing need has increased significantly: “Whilst the 2020 plan sought to accommodate a need based on an annual requirement of 816 dwellings per annum (dpa), the change to national planning policy increases this to 1,289 dpa - a 58 per cent increase.” To address this, the council intends to identify sufficient land for at least 13,096 net additional homes, aiming to deliver a total of 21,913 new dwellings between 2026 and 2043.
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Details on the “broad locations” for over 8,000 of these homes remain confidential at this stage but will be provided to cabinet members ahead of the forthcoming meeting. The draft highlights that approximately 20 major residential planning applications, comprising more than 4,000 dwellings, are currently awaiting decisions.
With two thirds of Solihull’s area designated as green belt, preserving these spaces is a key priority. The plan emphasises protection for several “vulnerable gaps” to maintain their open and undeveloped character.
Recent national guidelines encourage development around well-connected railway stations. The draft includes an assessment of potential capacity within 1,000 metres of such stations, identifying the possibility for 8,219 new homes. However, development beyond an 800-metre walking distance radius is subject to very special circumstances.
Prominent projects mentioned in the plan include the redevelopment of Mell Square, proposing up to 1,600 residential units, alongside 469 homes planned for the Heart of Solihull quarter and 100 dwellings in Chelmsley Wood town centre.
Regarding the 340-acre Arden Cross site, planned around the new HS2 Interchange station, the 2021 masterplan envisioned a residential community of up to 3,000 homes. Given recent HS2 programme revisions, the council currently estimates that 1,600 homes may be completed within the plan period.
The draft local plan will be presented at a specially convened cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 29 September. If approved, it will proceed to full council for final endorsement. Residents and interested parties would then have six weeks to submit feedback before the plan is submitted to the government for independent examination.
Councillor Andrew Mackiewicz, cabinet portfolio holder for climate change and planning, commented: “This plan seeks to protect the features that make Solihull a special place to live, such as the green belt and Meriden Gap; whilst meeting government targets and providing homes and jobs suitable for all – in a managed and sustainable way.
“This latest version incorporates the feedback from the consultation held earlier in the year, as well as responding to the significant changes to national planning policy over recent years.”