South Worcestershire Development Plan Review - key updates Development
The South Worcestershire Authorities released a post hearing letter on 7th July 2025, sharing the inspectors’ thoughts on the South Worcestershire Development Plan Review. Here’s a summary of the key points and recommendations:
General overview
The plan is on track to be legally compliant and sound, provided that certain Main Modifications (MMs) are made. The inspectors will detail their reasoning in the final report, which will also address other significant matters not covered in this letter. A further hearing may take place on 4th September 2025 to discuss Policy SWDPR 54 (Mitton) and the implications of any recalculated housing needs.
Process and next steps
The councils need to submit a comprehensive schedule of MMs for the inspectors’ consideration and agreement before consultation. Additional Modifications (AMs) should be listed separately. To keep the SWDP review moving forward in line with the latest Local Development Scheme, the inspectors recommend a consultation on MMs this Autumn. They should complete the MM schedule, excluding SWDPR 54 and housing requirements. Further Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Assessments should be conducted as necessary.
Housing and land supply
The inspectors have requested a revised Local Housing Need calculation since the examination of the Plan will not be concluded within two years of its submission. The updated Local Housing Need (LHN) is 18,852 dwellings for 2025–2041, which is 1,178 per year. The inspectors believe that 2,076 dwellings should be removed from the 5-Year Housing Land Supply (5YHLS) as stated in EXAM 24A. As a result, it has not
been demonstrated that there would be a five-year supply of deliverable sites upon the Plan’s adoption, as required by NPPF 74b. This means that housing land supply cannot be confirmed through the Plan. Despite this, the plan adoption is recommended even though it does not provide a 5-year housing land supply on adoption.
Key site allocations
Worcestershire Parkway (SWDPR 51): 10,000 homes and 50 hectares of employment land; MMs proposed.
Throckmorton (SWDPR 52): Removed as an allocation and reclassified as a future area of search.
Rushwick (SWDPR 53): Supported for 1,000 homes and 5 hectares of employment land; MMs needed.
Green belt and landscape
Some Green Belt removals are proposed, but the Blackpole Road employment site is not justified. Significant Gaps need a standalone policy. The plan aligns with conservation duties for Malvern Hills AONB and Cotswolds.
Employment land
Overall provision is sufficient. However, some allocations, such as Park Farm, are unsound due to landscape impact and are suggested for removal. Others, like Mayfield Road, are retained with mitigation conditions.
Annexes
Annex 1: Lists allocations excluded from 5YHLS.
Annex 2: Detailed list of required MMs for soundness and compliance. This summary provides an overview of the key points from the post hearing letter. For more detailed information, please refer to the full document.
Where are you based?
Worcester & Birmingham
When did you join FG?
Jack – September 2023
Henry – September 2022
Describe and let us know what you enjoy most about your job.
Jack: What I most enjoy about working in the development agency team is the collaboration
with private landowners to help them unlock the value of their assets. The diverse range of sites, clients and situations ensures that every day is different and engaging.
Henry: In my role, I most enjoy working collaboratively with both the immediate and wider development team. I also enjoy advising clients on the development opportunities available to meet their individual objectives.
What does a “normal” day look like for you?
A day working in development agency is varied and dynamic.
Our day-to-day role can involve client meetings with both prospective and existing clients, advising them on opportunities and the process for realising value through development.
We also negotiate and monitor strategic land agreements, including Option, Promotion, and Hybrid agreements.
Additionally, we conduct development appraisals to review proposed schemes, advise on viability, and assist with negotiations. Immediate disposals are another aspect of our work, which involves marketing opportunities and negotiating sales.
What do you see as the current challenges and opportunities in the sector?
Henry:
Challenges - Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has become a central consideration for all development projects. Ensuring clients are aware of both the challenges and opportunities this presents at an early stage is crucial. Giving the range of service lines we provide, we are able to collaborate with our in house natural capital colleagues. positioning ourselves uniquely to advise both landowners and developers.
Additionally, for commercial development projects, there is a continued scarcity of power availability, and we hope to see ongoing upgrades to the national grid to address this.
Jack:
Opportunities - The Government’s agenda to build 1.5 million homes in the next parliament has led to a significant shake-up of local planning. We have seen, and expect to continue seeing, an increase in applications and subsequent approvals over the coming months and years.
If interest rates continue to fall, affordability will increase, which in turn will boost the sales of new homes.
