Wolverhampton Local Plan Examination
Latest Update - 4th August 2026
EXAMINATION LATEST NEWS & TIMELINE
Hearing sessions have been rescheduled and will take place in two stages. Stage 1 hearings will commence at 10.00 am on Tuesday 22 September 2026. The stage 2 hearings will commence at 9.45 am on Tuesday 20 October 2026. These hearing sessions will be mainly held face-to-face in Committee Room 3 at the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1SH. Guidance Notes, Matters, Issues and Questions and a Programme for Stage 1 Hearing Sessions have been revised and republished below. Information regarding the Matters, Issues and Questions and Programme for the Stage 2 Hearings will follow in due course.
ID 2 - Guidance Notes
ID 3 - Inspectors’ Stage 1 Matters, Issues and Questions (Revised and Republished)
ID 4 - Hearings Programme Stage 1 V2
4th August 2026 - Updated Stage 1 Hearings Programme published to include invited participants.
10th July 2026 - Guidance Notes, together with Stage 1 Matters, Issues and Questions and a Programme for Stage 1 Hearings published.
WCC 8 - Council’s Response to Inspectors’ Letter ID 5 (Reissued)
2nd July 2026 - WCC 8 - Council’s Response to Inspectors’ Letter ID 5 published.
25th June 2026 - ID 5 - Inspectors’ Letter re Housing Land Supply, Modifications and Supplementary Planning Documents published.
22nd June 2026 - Inspectors L Crosby MA MRTPI and L Bartle BA (Hons) MSc MRTPI have been appointed to replace Inspectors V Lucas and Y Wright.
5 May 2026 - The following documents have been published:
WCC 7 - Note on Updated Flood Risk Evidence
WCC 7A - Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Addendum
WCC 7B - Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Addendum – Appendix A (Excel Document – Direct Download)
9 October 2025 - WCC 6 - Regulation 24 Notice of Hearings published.
2 October 2025 - Stage 1 Key Documents published.
3 September 2025 - Council's responses to the Inspectors' Initial Questions published:
WCC 1 - Spatial Strategy Topic Paper
WCC 2 - Housing Topic Paper
WCC 3 - Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Topic Paper
WCC 4 - Employment Land Topic Paper
WCC 4A - Employment Land Topic Paper – Appendix 1
WCC 5 - Duty to Co-operate Topic Paper
WCC 5A - Duty to Co-operate Topic Paper - Appendices
20 June 2025 - ID1 - Inspectors' Initial Questions to City Council published.
6 May 2025 - The Submission Documents List has been updated with the addition of document TR1e an appendix to the Black Country Local Plan Transport Modelling Report. The table of Regulation 19 responses has also been updated with an updated response from Walsall Council.
EXAM1 - Shropshire Council - Duty to Co-operate Letter to WCC also published.
28 March 2025 - Planning Inspectors Y Wright BSc (Hons) DIPT&CP MSc DMS MRTPI and V Lucas LLB (Hons) MCD MRTPI have been appointed to hold an independent Examination of the Wolverhampton Local Plan (Inspectors replaced 22nd June 2026).
7 March 2025 - Wolverhampton Local Plan submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent Examination.
THE INSPECTORS
Planning Inspectors L Crosby MA MRTPI and L Bartle BA (Hons) MSc MRTPI have been appointed to hold an independent Examination of the Wolverhampton Local Plan.
The Inspectors' task will be to consider the soundness and legal compliance of the submitted Plan, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework December 2023 (the Framework) and associated regulations., namely the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Localism Act 2011 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
The Inspectors will take into account the representations submitted upon the Regulation 19 Draft Plan as far as they relate to soundness and legal compliance considerations. A number of informal debates will take place on the principal matters identified by the Inspector. These are termed Hearing Sessions.
Following the Hearing Sessions there may be a further period of public engagement on the Modifications, or changes, that the Inspectors are recommending to the Local Plan. The Inspectors will then issue a final Report to the City Council including a final list of Modifications.
IAN KEMP - PROGRAMME OFFICER
My role is to act as the point contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and as a liaison between the Inspector, Local Planning Authority and Representors. I am an independent Officer of the Examination and work on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the Examination process. Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspector should be submitted to me in the first instance.
Address: PO Box 241, Droitwich, Worcestershire, WR9 1DW
Email: ian@localplanservices.co.uk
Telephone: 07723009166
GUIDANCE NOTES
Guidance Notes have been prepared by the Inspectors to establish the arrangements for the process. Procedural Guidance for Local Plans has also been produced by the Planning Inspectorate, together with a short guide aimed at those participating in a local plan examination for the first time.