Gateway 1 Self Assessment
Gateway 1 Self-Assessment
How we got ready to prepare a new local plan
We started preparing a new local plan for Sandwell MBC on 30th October 2026.
Government policy says we should adopt the new plan within 30 months of this date. This is to help ensure we have an up-to-date local plan that responds to the needs of the area and our communities.
This page explains what we did to get ready to meet the 30-month timeframe. It also has links to further information and where you can get updates.
We published a timetable for preparing the plan
We have published a timetable for preparing Sandwell Local Plan 2 (SLP2). The timetable sets out the main stages of plan-making and shows how we intend to work towards adopting the new Local Plan within the Government's 30-month timeframe. It gives residents, businesses, landowners, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders a clear overview of what will happen next and when they will be able to get involved.
The timetable includes the key stages where communities and stakeholders will be invited to comment. These stages will allow people to comment on emerging ideas, supporting evidence, policy directions, site allocations and the overall approach to growth and development across Sandwell.
Publishing the timetable early helps us manage the preparation of the plan, coordinate technical evidence, plan consultation activity and identify where decisions will need to be made. It also supports the Engagement Strategy by giving people earlier notice of consultation opportunities and helping communities understand how their feedback will fit into the wider plan-making process.
We know that some parts of the programme may need to respond to new evidence, national policy changes, engagement feedback and the progress of wider infrastructure or environmental assessment work. We will therefore keep the timetable under review and update the SLP2 webpages as the plan progresses, so that communities and stakeholders can see the latest position
We established project management and governance arrangements
Preparing a local plan is a complex process. It involves many stakeholders across the council and from other organisations. Thinking early about how the work is planned, managed and signed off helps us monitor our progress and meet set timescales. It also helps us anticipate and manage any risks to adopting the plan within 30 months.
We have started developing a Project Initiation Document. This is similar to a business plan. It includes what we are trying to achieve, our governance, our timetable, resources, the risks to delivery and how decisions will be made.
Thinking early about how the work is planned, managed and signed off helps us:
- Check our progress and keep the work on track.
- Anticipate and manage any risks to adopting the plan within 30 months.
The cabinet member for Regeneration and Economic Growth has delegated authority to make changes to the timetable to help streamline the process and avoid potential delays. Regular policy team meetings throughout the process will ensure work is completed on time and no element falls behind.
The use of government guidance has been essential in the early stages of the process and will continue to assist the planning team until the plan is adopted.
We planned how we'll consult on the plan
Public consultation is essential for the local plan to represent the needs of our communities. It must be easy for people to have their say in a way that works for them, so they can influence how the area develops. By planning this early, we can ensure people are aware in advance and can get involved from the start.
We have undertaken a scoping consultation to gather views on what the plan could contain and how we propose to consult on the plan at key stages.
We used the findings from the SLP2 Scoping Consultation to prepare a Local Plan Engagement Strategy. This sets out how we'll consult, communicate and involve communities and stakeholders throughout the preparation of the plan. The strategy responds directly to what people told us: that consultation should be easy to access, use clear and simple information, provide both digital and face-to-face opportunities, give people advance notice, and show clearly how feedback has been used.
We want to involve residents / stakeholders in the preparation of the plan so we aim to provide a wide range of engagement opportunities. While we will be moving towards more digital engagement, we also plan a mix of consultation and communication approaches to get more people involved. This includes:
- In person sessions by appointment
- Online activities
- Email updates
We began scoping the content of the plan
Scoping includes considering how well the existing plan is working and gathering baseline information about the area. This helps identify future needs and ambitions. Starting this work early means we can begin preparing the new plan with a clear vision, making it easier to consult on and make decisions about.
We carried out a scoping consultation for six weeks, from 27 July to 11 September 2026. The consultation was intended to:
- Identify the key issues and challenges facing the district.
- Understand what matters most to local communities, businesses and stakeholders.
- Gather information on available evidence and data, and identify any gaps.
- Seek views on the scope and priorities of the Local Plan.
- Understand how stakeholders would like to be consulted throughout the plan-making process.
The consultation included a series of questions for residents, consultees and other stakeholders. These responses will help guide preparation of the next Local Plan and the evidence that supports it.
The consultation was supported by a scoping report published on our website to support clarity and transparency.
The consultation was carried out in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026.
We began a Strategic Environmental Assessment
We are legally required to identify, describe and evaluate any likely significant effects on the environment of:
- Implementing the Local Plan.
- Reasonable alternatives, taking account of the objectives and geographical scope of the plan.
This process will consider how community, national and international environmental protection objectives, along with other environmental challenges, are taken into account in the plan. It will help us predict significant environmental effects and develop ways of preventing, reducing and offsetting them.
It is important we start this work early and are transparent about how we are doing the assessment when engaging stakeholders and communities.
We have started this work by:
- Starting to collate relevant baseline information
- Mapping relevant plans and programmes
We have considered updated National Policy
The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published in August 2026 (during the scoping consultation on SLP2).
Under Policy PM2 of the NPPF, national policy now states that a Local Plan should set “out a spatial strategy, policies for the minimum amount of development to be provided, land allocations and broad locations for growth…for a period of no less than 10 years from the point of adoption of the plan. Local plans can cover a longer time period where this would, for example, help support the delivery of longer-term infrastructure or strategic development.”
Previous versions of the NPPF have stated that Local Plan periods should be a minimum of 15 years, which is why originally it was proposed for SLP2 to plan to 2044.
On the basis that the minimum requirement has reduced from 15 to 10 years, it is proposed that the plan period for SLP2 is amended to 2041. This would allow for a 12-year plan period, from proposed adoption in 2029.
Other changes in national policy will be reflected in SLP2, as it progresses.
Other ways we are getting ready
We ran a ‘call for sites’ exercise from July to October 2026.
How to stay up to date
For the latest information on progress of the Local Plan, and to view the timetable, visit our webpage.
WE encourage anyone to register their interest in the Local Plan. WE can let people know when we reach key milestones and notify people about consultations so they can share their views.