Planning obligations supplementary planning document consultation

We are consulting on the planning obligations supplementary planning document (SPD) for 6 weeks from 22 September until 3 November 2025.

The draft SPD outlines how we will use planning obligations (Section 106 agreements) to ensure that new developments contribute fairly to local infrastructure, services, and environmental improvements.

It will help developers understand the type and scale of planning obligation requirements. It outlines their responsibilities, which speeds up the planning process.

The SPD supports policies in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

Main proposals in the SPD

The SPD includes the following key proposals:

• updated requirements to support school expansions
• revised method for calculating contributions to parks and open spaces
• how contributions can enhance biodiversity and safeguard existing ecological assets.
• sustainable travel
• indemnity agreements and updated monitoring fees
• viability assessments

It also addresses:

• financial and non-financial obligations
• when and how obligations apply, with development thresholds
• our approach to securing affordable housing
• on-site provision of open spaces, or payments for off-site improvements
• the infrastructure needs to support planned growth in Walsall (linked to the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP))

How to respond

You can complete the questionnaire online. It's split into sections that correspond to the pdfs below. You don't have to comment on the whole document if you don't want to. 

If you'd rather have a paper copy, you can get this from any Walsall Council library. 

Our libraries also have reference copies of the draft SPD for you to view, or you can download the full document or relevant section below:

What happens next

After the consultation ends, we will consider all the comments we've received. Where needed, we'll make changes to the document.

We will then send a report to Cabinet that includes:

• a summary of the comments
• how we'll take the comments into account
• feedback and our responses will shape either a revised SPD for further consultation or a final version for adoption

Once the SPD is adopted it will become a material consideration in determining planning applications negotiating planning obligations. It will provide clarity for for developers and support sustainable development.

The SPD is a living document. It will be updated needed to reflect changes in policy, development trends, and infrastructure requirements.