Residents and businesses across Walsall will soon have another opportunity to comment on the borough’s emerging Local Plan, with the next formal consultation due to begin in September.
Following a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 26 August 2026, the latest version of the Walsall Borough Local Plan is now set to progress to Regulation 19 consultation. The timetable will allow the council to work towards the Government’s end-of-December deadline.
The publication version of the Plan has been developed following feedback received during consultation on the earlier Issues and Preferred Options document at the end of 2025.
From 14 September 2026, residents, businesses and other interested parties will be invited to consider whether the Plan has been prepared in line with the correct procedures and whether it meets the national tests of soundness required before it can be adopted.
“ The Local Plan is about planning for the future of our borough, supporting jobs, investment, regeneration and infrastructure, while protecting our heritage and green spaces.
Council’s must have a Local Plan and seek to meet government housing targets. Without one, we risk losing control over where development takes place.
We have taken a brownfield-first approach, but previously developed land can only deliver around a quarter of the housing we are required to plan for. As a result, the draft Plan includes some Green Belt land, although this is not a step we would take if realistic alternatives existed.
The Plan also includes measures to protect communities, including controls on HMOs and children’s care homes, and proposals for a Community Infrastructure Levy so developers contribute towards local improvements.
We know people will have different views, which is why we are encouraging everyone to take part in the Regulation 19 consultation. Feedback is vital in helping us shape a plan that balances national requirements with the needs of local residents, businesses and communities. “
The Local Plan sets out how land across the borough could be used in future, including provision for housing, employment, infrastructure and regeneration, while also identifying areas where protection is required.
This stage of the process will focus specifically on the legal compliance and soundness of the Plan rather than reopening the earlier process of choosing between development options.
Once the six-week consultation has concluded, Walsall Council will consider whether the Plan should be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination.
An appointed Planning Inspector would then assess the council’s evidence alongside the representations submitted during the consultation and determine whether the Plan meets the necessary requirements.
The sites contained within the publication version are considered by the council to be the most appropriate options available for meeting Walsall’s identified needs for housing and other land uses. Any subsequent changes would be considered through the Inspector’s examination and recommendations.
The Regulation 19 consultation will open on Monday 14 September 2026 and remain open for six weeks.
Residents will be able to view the Plan and submit comments online. A series of in-person and online meetings will also take place during the consultation period, with further details to be announced.
More information about the consultation and how to take part is available on the Walsall Borough Local Plan Commonplace page:
https://wblpreg19.commonplace.is/