Under Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, planning applications must be determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) also confirms that proposals consistent with an up-to-date Development Plan should be approved without delay.

The most relevant policies within the Solihull Local Plan (2013) are Policy P4 (Meeting Housing Needs), Policy P5 (Provision of Land for Housing), and Policy P17 (Countryside and Green Belt). Together, these policies support the delivery of sustainable housing growth, including affordable housing, in accessible locations.

The proposed developments at Sites 1 and 2 are located adjacent to existing residential areas and close to employment opportunities, services, schools, healthcare facilities, and public transport connections. As such, the sites represent sustainable locations for new housing and will make a meaningful contribution toward meeting the Borough’s significant housing and affordable housing needs.

Solihull Council has acknowledged that it cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply when assessed against the Government’s updated housing requirement methodology. As a result, the most important Development Plan policies are considered to be out-of-date, and the NPPF’s presumption in favour of sustainable development is engaged.

Although the sites lie within the Green Belt as shown on the figure below, recent changes to national planning policy recognise that certain residential developments within the Green Belt may be appropriate where land is sustainably located and does not strongly contribute to Green Belt purposes a, d and d (prevention of urban sprawl, preventing the coalescence of settlements,. The sites are contained by existing development and infrastructure, are well connected to the urban area, and should be identified as Grey Belt land.

Having regard to the above, it is considered that:

• The proposals align with the spatial strategy of directing development to sustainable and accessible locations;
• They will make a significant contribution toward meeting the Borough’s housing and affordable housing needs;
• The Development Plan policies most important for determining the application are out-of-date;
• The presumption in favour of sustainable development is engaged; and
• The sites should be identified as Grey Belt parcels of land and therefore should not be regarded as inappropriate development within the Green Belt.

In consideration, the principle of residential development on Sites 1 and 2 is considered to be acceptable.

Proposed Policies Map – Local Plan Review: October 2020; the sites’ locations are indicated by the red-line boundaries.