Local Plan

Why is the council reviewing the Local Plan?

The Council is required by Government to review the Local Plan every five years to stay up to date with changes in local and national policies. This ensures that we can plan for the future effectively and address issues like climate change, housing, transport, and infrastructure.

What does the Local Plan aim to achieve?

The Local Plan sets a vision and framework for our borough’s development. The Telford and Wrekin Local Plan focuses on creating sustainable communities, combatting climate change, providing better homes for everyone, protecting our green spaces and natural environment, and improving the health and wellbeing of all residents.

Our Local Plan proposals will:

• Protect our green spaces,

• Care for our existing communities

• Invest in the future.

It will do this and benefit our residents by:

Providing more quality homes which local people in Telford and Wrekin can afford.

Around a third of all housing will be for social or affordable rent or shared ownership. These homes will be both cost effective from a rent point of view but also built to modern sustainability standards making them cheaper to run helping to lift the most vulnerable residents out of fuel poverty. 

Providing new homes to meet the needs of our community, including homes for our young people, families and older people.

New mixed communities of affordable and open market homes will meet the diverse needs of our residents including homes for; families, less able-bodied residents, key workers (such as nurses, teachers and emergency service workers) and specialist and supported accommodation for older people. This will help residents lead healthier lives in their own homes for longer and help residents upsize/downsize in their local communities. 

Providing more energy efficient buildings helping to lower the cost of running homes and businesses.

This work aligns with the Council’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2030 and helping to create a sustainable climate ready environment. Helping to lower energy costs for businesses will help deliver new inward investment and jobs into the borough.

Retaining Telford and Wrekin’s proud identity as one of the greenest places in the country by protecting our heritage and enhancing our green spaces for people and wildlife.

All residents will be able to enjoy enhanced green spaces, ecology and biodiversity as new Local Nature Reserves are secured and our green network expanded. This will help secure Telford’s place as a ‘community in the landscape’, and one of the greenest boroughs in the country, and provide interconnected routes for flora, fauna and residents to move around the borough. 

Investing in our established communities by revitalising borough towns and tackling derelict and vacant sites that blight local people’s daily lives.

These derelict sites will benefit from development bringing forward good quality new homes for residents in highly accessible locations. 

Securing around 17,000 new jobs through new land for existing businesses to grow and new business to invest in Telford and Wrekin.

Secure jobs for the future economy by delivering land for new investments which will provide a range of new job opportunities. This will be supported by the Council’s wider approach to upskilling through investments such as the new learning and skills hub (The Quad) in Telford town centre. 

Securing new and improved infrastructure for the future, including six new schools, expanded GP surgeries and improving transport networks.
Provide a long-term plan-led approach that will help secure new and improved infrastructure for the benefit of our residents and enable partners such as the NHS and education providers to plan their services effectively and lobby Government for further investment moving forward.

Tackling climate change by introducing policies to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability.
Climate change is central to the plan and is an integral theme across policies that will help with the switch to low emission transport, renewable energy in the right locations and helps manage our natural resources sustainably. 

What is the Publication Plan and why is this stage different to the previous Draft Plan consultation?

The publication version of the Local Plan Review (also referred to as Regulation 19) is the final version that the Council will produce ahead of submission to the Planning Inspectorate. The document and accompanying evidence base will be published for the public to view and make final comments about legal compliance and soundness of the plan for 7 weeks between the 17 March and 5 May 2025.

 Any comments made should consider:

• Has the Council prepared the plan positively?
• Is it justified and effective?
• Does it comply with national planning policy?

Following the close of the publication period on 5 May 2025, all comments will be sent to a government appointed independent Planning Inspector who will conduct a formal examination of the plan which will include public hearing sessions. The Inspector’s role is to consider whether the Plan is ‘sound’ and ‘legally compliant.’ In doing this they will consider all representations (comments) received and hold the public hearing sessions where the main matters and issues raised in representations can be discussed. All comments will need to be submitted on a standard representations form, which has a set of accompanying guidance notes, and these explain in more detail the basis for commenting on the Plan.

What is the test of soundness?

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) outlines that at Regulation 19, the inspector is looking to test whether a plan is ‘sound’. This is measured against four tests to see if a plan is; positively prepared; justified; effective and; consistent with national policy. 

Once an inspector is confident that these four tests have been met, at this point a plan can be found to be ‘sound’.

The four tests ensure that a plan meets local needs and has considered reasonable alternatives, is deliverable and will enable the sustainable development to come forward in accordance with the requirements of the Government’s NPPF.

More information regarding this can be found here: National Planning Policy Framework - 3. Plan-making - Guidance - GOV.UK

How has the plan been developed?

There has been an extensive period of consultation, analysis through the Regulation 18 process and evidence gathering to inform and develop the plan. An updated evidence base that supports the plan will be available on the Council’s website from the 17 March onwards. It includes evidence on housing need, service provision, transport capacity, employment need, sports pitch provision and ecological surveys.

Do I need to comment on the publication plan at Regulation 19 if I have commented before?

We’ve listened to local people, and we’ve worked hard to ensure the revised Local Plan reflects the feedback received from our communities. The issues raised during the Regulation 18 consultation have been taken account in the preparation of the Publication version of the plan at Regulation 19 stage.

If you considered that your views have not been fully addressed or that new issues have arisen that will affect the soundness of the proposed Local Plan, you have an opportunity to submit further comments at this stage of the process. The main difference at this stage of the process is that comments received at the Regulation 19 stage will be forwarded to the Inspector. Therefore, we advise that when making comments it is best not to ‘refer to my regulation 18 / previous comments.’, and that it is instead important that you include all of the relevant information in your representation in a clear and concise way.

Will green spaces be protected in the Local Plan?

Yes, protecting green spaces for people and wildlife is a priority in the Local Plan. The Local Plan identifies new Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) and will ensure we can invest in the natural environment through a net increase in biodiversity. The Local Plan will help create new areas of publicly accessible green space, play and recreation facilities and greener developments with, for example, street trees.

How many homes are the Council planning for?

57% of the homes needed during the life of the Local Plan 2020-2040 have already been built (since 2020) or have been granted planning permission. Therefore, the Local Plan will need to find land to deliver the remaining 43%, equivalent to 429 homes per year during the plan period. These will be distributed across Telford, Newport and the rural area.

Does the Local Plan need to provide homes for other areas?

The National Planning Policy Framework places a duty on Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) to consider requests from neighbouring councils who cannot meet all their own development needs. The Council have liaised with the Black Country Authorities (BCA’s) throughout the development of the Local Plan regarding requests to contribute towards the BCA’s unmet housing need. This offer has also been included within the Local Plan document.

The Planning Inspectorate has demonstrated that it will act where LPA’s have not responded positively to requests by neighbouring councils in relation to unmet development needs. This has, in other areas, resulted in significant delays to the Local Plan process, plans being withdrawn or Inspectors instructing councils to meet a higher housing target. It is important that the Council can demonstrate it has engaged with its neighbours and where possible met any requests made.

What are the next stages for the plan?

After the Publication Plan closes for public comments regarding soundness and legal compliance on 5 May 2025, all responses will be processed and forwarded to the Government's Planning Inspectorate for independent examination. Following submission, the Secretary of State will appoint an Inspector to hold an Examination in Public into the Local Plan. Following submission to the Planning Inspectorate the Council’s webpage will be updated regarding details of the examination.

Why are you planning for more homes?

The Government require councils to maintain a supply of housing to meet their area’s need for new homes. Delivering new homes is an opportunity to provide: 

• more quality homes that local people in Telford and Wrekin can afford

• low-cost homes for sale through shared ownership

• different types of homes including Extra Care, bungalows and retirement living homes 

• better quality private rented accommodation

• accessible homes with step-free access and in some cases design for wheelchair users.

Why are we planning for more homes when existing infrastructure is under pressure? 

The Local Plan acknowledges the need for new infrastructure to support growth. We are working with council services such as education and highways, as well as other public sector agencies including the NHS, the Environment Agency and National Highways to identify infrastructure necessary to support the Local Plan. As proposals for new development sites come forward for planning permission the Council will secure financial contributions from those developers to help fund some of this infrastructure.

Why do we need more homes in rural areas?

The Council wish to support rural areas and villages, this includes supporting younger and older residents as well as businesses and community life. Planning for development means there will be more residents using local businesses such as shops and pubs and more local children attending village primary schools. It is also more difficult, given the higher property values, for younger people to remain in our rural areas and for people to downsize and stay within their local community. Planning for a range of homes will help address these issues and ensure that our villages remain vibrant places to live.

Will there be enough jobs to support all these homes? 

Telford & Wrekin Council is keen to ensure that development of the borough and additional homes will not simply result in commuting. The Council is therefore planning for over 167 hectares of employment land in accessible and sustainable locations to encourage economic growth, inward investment creating local jobs and giving local companies the space to grow. 

If a site has been allocated for future development in the plan does this mean it has planning permission?

No – the purpose of site allocations in the Local Plan is to identify land that could, in principle, come forward for either housing or employment development during the plan period (2020-2040). This helps to provide certainty around the location of future development, but it does not determine the final form or detail of development proposals. A planning application will still be required to establish and seek approval for these aspects. 

Will there be building on greenfield sites? 

We are committed to a brownfield-first approach, utilising previously developed land where possible. While some greenfield sites may be required, strong policies in the Local Plan will protect valued landscapes, our green network, Local Nature Reserves and help secure new and improved green space as well as a net increase in bio-diversity and ecology across the borough. 

What are Sustainable Communities?   

Sustainable Communities are development sites on the existing urban boundary of Telford. These areas will be carefully master planned, incorporating benefits such as, new primary schools, a mix of homes including affordable, accessible and supported housing, new accessible green spaces, local centres, job creation, sustainable travel routes for walking, cycling and wheeling and climate friendly development with energy efficient homes. Sustainable Communities were referred to as ‘Sustainable Urban Extensions’ in the previous draft Local Plan document.    

Where are the Sustainable Communities?  

The three allocated sites are north of Bratton, Wappenshall and northeast of Muxton.   

Why does the council need to consider Sustainable Communities?   

The Local Plan includes Sustainable Communities for a number of reasons, including:   

• there is not enough land within the existing Telford boundary to meet the borough’s need for new homes, therefore the expansion of the Town now needs to be considered;  

• by focusing growth on larger Sustainable Communities it will maximise the opportunity to secure new infrastructure, including contributions to highways, education and health provision, and;  

• delivery of these sites will ensure that a greater range of homes and community benefits such as open space and sustainable travel routes are delivered.