Telford & Wrekin Council submits Local Plan for independent examination

The Telford and Wrekin Local Plan sets out how the Borough will grow and develop, ensuring the right balance of new homes, employment land, green space, and infrastructure to support sustainable and inclusive communities.

An approved Local Plan would ensure future development is plan led setting out where homes and business properties can be built and importantly also protecting other areas from being open to inappropriate speculative development.

To date the Local Plan has reached the following milestones:

2023: A public consultation was held on the draft version of the Local Plan, providing residents, businesses and stakeholders the chance to comment on the proposals.

2024: All consultation responses were reviewed, and the publication version of the Local Plan was approved by Cabinet in December and Full Council in January 2025.

February – May 2025: The plan went through the statutory Regulation 19 stage, where members of the public were able to submit formal representations on the soundness and legal compliance of the plan.

September 2025: The final plan has now been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination.

The Planning Inspectorate will now appoint an independent Planning Inspector to carry out an examination of the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan. As part of this process, the Inspector will consider all representations received during the Regulation 19 stage.

Public hearings are expected to start towards the end of this year or early 2026 subject to confirmation from the Planning Inspector. Dates, times and venues will be confirmed and published with at least six weeks’ notice. All updates will be shared via the examination section of the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan website.

To support the process, the Council has appointed an Independent Programme Officer to act as a point of contact between the Council, the Planning Inspector and third parties. Any enquiries should be directed via the programme officer by emailing programmeofficer@telford.gov.uk

Councillor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability, said:

“The submission of the Telford and Wrekin Local Plan marks a major milestone for the Borough. This plan will guide how our borough develops in the future ensuring that new homes, jobs, green spaces and infrastructure are planned in a way that benefits our communities and protects our environment.

“Having a plan in place will not only ensure we have agreement on where development can take place but will ensure areas not designated in the agreed plan are protected from being open to inappropriate speculative development in the future.

“We’ve listened carefully to the feedback received during consultation, and the independent examination process now provides an important opportunity to test the plan fully and transparently.”

For further information and regular updates on the examination process, visit: telfordandwrekinlocalplan.co.uk