Future planning policy

Walsall Borough Local Plan (WBLP) 

The WBLP will aim to make sure there are enough homes and jobs for people living and working in the borough. It will show where we expect to build, and the areas we'll protect for their existing uses.  

We will use the WBLP when we determine planning applications. We expect it to replace our current planning policy documents.  

The timetable for preparing the WBLP is in the Local Development Scheme. 

Regulation 19 consultation

The WBLP has to go through several stages as we prepare it. The draft WBLP will be examined by a planning inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. We are consulting about this draft before the council agrees to submit it to be examined. 

The regulation 19 consultation runs from 21 September to 2 November 2026. Details of the regulation 19 draft WBLP are on our CommonPlace site. We are holding online and in person events to explain the plan and to help people to comment on it.

The WBLP contains policies that will be used to decide planning applications. It also allocates sites for different types of use.

We have also made alterations to the Green belt boundary, shown on the map below.

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. If you use assistive technology and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please contact us. We can provide you with an accessible version, or (in the case of maps and drawings) arrange to talk to you to explain the contents.

Regulation 18 consultation 

Between 7 November and 16 December 2025, we consulted to ask what the WBLP should contain (known as the Regulation 18 consultation). Details of the consultation are on our Regulation 18 Commonplace site

Evidence base for the WBLP 

The WBLP is supported by evidence. Much of this is on Commonplace.

We ran a call for sites exercise for the WBLP in 2024. We asked for suggestions about sites to include in the new Local Plan. These included sites for housing, employment, open space, nature conservation and more. 

The call for sites map shows the submitted sites:

We have carried forward some of these to become proposed allocations in the draft WBLP. We have rejected other sites. We do not think they are suitable for the land uses proposed in the submission. 

We have also published information about our housing land supply.

For more information you can contact us. 

What happened to the Black Country Plan?

Walsall Council’s Cabinet agreed on the 2 November 2022 to end work on the Black Country Plan. Instead, the WBLP will be the local plan for Walsall.  

We will continue to use some of the work carried out to date on the Black Country Plan. You can find evidence and consultation details on the  Black Country plan website. Where it's needed, we'll provide fresh evidence that's focused on Walsall borough.