Birmingham's new Local Plan heads for Government inspection

Birmingham's new Local Plan, which sets out where tens of thousands of new homes and new jobs should go in the city up to 2044, is due to be submitted to the Government for independent examination in December.

The plan aims for 87,700 new homes over the plan period, including a 5 per cent buffer to give flexibility in the market, and a minimum five-year supply of about 90 acres of land for employment.

What a Local Plan is

Every council in England must have a Local Plan. It sets out how much development an area needs, where it should go, and the policies that planning applications will be judged against, from the design of buildings and the protection of green spaces to affordable housing and climate change.

Once adopted, the plan becomes the starting point for deciding planning applications in the city.

Brownfield first

The council says future development will be "strongly focused on brownfield regeneration, higher density urban living, and the re-use of existing land and buildings". That means building on land that has been used before, such as old factories, offices and car parks, and building more homes close to public transport and the city centre.

Sixteen growth zones

The plan identifies 16 areas for growth and regeneration. They include Ladywood, Druids Heath, the Pool Farm estate, the Poolway Shopping Centre in the Meadway area, Illeybrook Square in Woodgate Valley, and Bromford.

Major projects such as Smithfield, the area around the HS2 station at Curzon Street and the Knowledge Quarter in Eastside are also expected to provide thousands of homes and jobs.

A change on the shortfall

Birmingham has long said it cannot fit all of the homes it needs within its boundaries, and earlier versions of the new plan expected neighbouring councils to help meet a shortfall of around 46,000 homes. The final version drops that expectation and aims to meet more of the city's needs within Birmingham itself.

The consultation

The final, six-week consultation on the plan, known as the Regulation 19 stage, took place over the summer after the plan was approved by the council's cabinet on 28 July. Comments made during that stage will be passed to the inspector.

What happens next

An independent planning inspector appointed by the Government will examine the plan, usually at public hearings, to decide whether it is sound and legally compliant. The inspector can recommend changes before the plan is adopted.

The debate

Developers say the city needs more land for housing, including some green belt sites, to meet demand. Campaigners want to protect green spaces and make sure new homes are genuinely affordable. The Conservative Party, at its conference in the city this week, has pledged to scrap rules such as the Future Homes Standard and to replace Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy with a single levy.

Why it matters to residents

The Local Plan shapes how neighbourhoods will change for decades, from where new schools and parks go to how tall buildings can be. Residents can follow the examination and read the documents on the council's website.

Green belt

Parts of Birmingham are designated as green belt, mostly on the northern and southern edges of the city, including around Sutton Coldfield. Green belt rules are designed to stop cities sprawling into the countryside. The Government has introduced the idea of grey belt, poorer quality green belt land that may be released for development in some cases, which has added to the debate about where new homes should go.