Solihull Council’s Cabinet will consider the latest stage of the Local Plan review at a meeting on Thursday 1 October. The meeting is being asked to approve the plan for publication and to invite representations on it over a six-week period, before it is submitted for independent examination.
Solihull’s Local Plan will guide the development of the borough for the next decade, and beyond. It is the basis for future planning decisions as it creates a ‘blueprint’ for when and where major developments can take place, and where they shouldn’t take place.
If Cabinet approves the plan, it will be considered at a Full Council meeting on Tuesday 6 October. If approved at this meeting, the Draft Submission Plan will then be published for a statutory period of six weeks. Interested parties will be invited to make representations relating to the soundness and legal compliance of the plan.
These representations will then form the focus of the ‘Examination in Public’ (EiP) that must take place before a plan can be adopted. The EiP will be overseen by a nominated Inspector appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State.
After the examination concludes, the inspector will issue a report which will summarise the findings of their examination. If the plan is found to be sound and legally compliant, the Council will then be allowed to adopt the plan.
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning & Housing, said:
“Our Local Plan review is now nearing its conclusion. This final consultation that Cabinet is being asked to approve is simply to test whether people think the plan is sound and legally compliant. Those are the only grounds on which people can comment at this stage.
“Over the past years we have undertaken a number of consultations, workshops and engagement events, above and beyond what is required.
“We have thoroughly examined all the evidence, taken on board local concerns and listened to our neighbouring authorities to develop this plan. I am confident it will create a sustainable blueprint that reflects the climate change actions we must pursue for the future development of the borough.
“We know some difficult decisions are included in the plan, but we must take them to ensure we have the space for the jobs, homes and infrastructure we need over the coming decade.
“I look forward to discussing the plan at Cabinet and hope at the end of the meeting we will be in a position to get final sign off at Full Council next week to begin this final consultation, so that we can move towards an EiP in 2021.”
Following the Full Council meeting, the formal six-week period of representations will be announced and will be likely to start later in October.