The Economic Development, Managed Growth and Skills Scrutiny Board met to discuss the Solihull Economic Strategy, regeneration projects in North Solihull, and the board's work programme for the coming year. The board reviewed progress on Solihull's ten-year Economic Strategy, considered updates on the Chelmsley Wood Town Centre Masterplan and Kingshurst Village Centre Regeneration projects, and agreed to a work programme for the remainder of the 2025/26 municipal year. The board also made recommendations to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Planning regarding housing affordability, co-operation with other West Midlands local authorities, water management strategies, and healthcare provision in new developments.

Solihull Economic Strategy Delivery Plan

The board reviewed the progress made in supporting Solihull's ten-year Economic Strategy, noting that the UK is currently in a low-growth economic environment, but that Solihull's productivity is comparatively strong. ¹ The report highlighted progress and success in several key areas:

• Arden Cross: The board heard that Muse Places had been appointed as the development partner for the Arden Cross site, and that the University of Warwick would work with Arden Cross Limited and Muse Places to develop a Health Tech Campus as the key driver of the Innovation Quarter at Arden Cross. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has also agreed that £50 million of funding will be ring-fenced towards infrastructure works to bring forward development at Arden Cross.
• UK2, Damson Parkway: A comprehensive masterplan is proposed for the site, developed by the council and other landowners. The A45 Damson Parkway junction capacity improvements scheme will support access to the site and delivery of the masterplan proposals, subject to approval of the business case.
• Mell Square: The council entered into a Development Agreement with Muse Places Ltd in November 2024, and Muse submitted a hybrid planning application in March 2025 for up to 1,600 homes as part of a new mixed-use neighbourhood.
• Blythe Valley Park: The mixed-use development has been a draw for investors, including German logistics company Rohlig and the successful Blythe Valley Innovation Centre.
• Birmingham Business Park: Recent investments include Holman fleet management, alongside strong occupancy from serviced office operators.
• Birmingham Airport: The airport is currently undertaking a £76.5m capital investment plan, supporting capacity to handle 18 million customers a year by 2033, and has started to prepare for the next iteration of its Masterplan, that will be consulted on and published in 2026.
• SCALE Project: The SCALE project, part of the £150 million Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder programme, has enabled Solihull to showcase and further develop understanding around CAM services.
• Business Support: Under the devolved UK Shared Prosperity Funding, the council has been able to develop a comprehensive programme of account management and bespoke support for small to medium enterprises and start-up entrepreneurs. Supporting the new Cultural Strategy, the council has also been able to develop a programme supporting the freelancer Core Creatives community, leading them to funding success and growth.

The report also identified areas for development, including business mentoring, innovation programmes, and a workspace strategy for Solihull.

North Solihull Regeneration Projects

The board received an update on progress, development, and next steps for two major North Solihull development projects: the Chelmsley Wood Town Centre Masterplan and the Kingshurst Village Centre Regeneration.

Chelmsley Wood Town Centre

The Chelmsley Wood Town Centre (CWTC) North-West Quarter project is the progression of wider town centre master planning work undertaken in 2019. The proposals seek to address deficiencies in the town centre, including limited food and beverage offers, no night-time economy, limited public realm, the lack of a discount food supermarket, and poor connectivity.

The board heard that the project team had undertaken extensive engagement and consultation with the Chelmsley Wood shopping precinct owners, but that a change of ownership in February 2023 had paused the submission of both the planning application and Outline Business Case (OBC). Discussions have since re-commenced, and it is likely that the shopping centre owners' and the council's ambitions can now be aligned.

Commercial property advisors are supporting several key workstreams, including advice on any changes needed to the masterplan, addressing land ownership issues, and procurement of a discount food supermarket retailer.

Kingshurst Village Centre

The Kingshurst Village Centre Regeneration project will transform the Village Centre through the establishment of a high quality and thriving community and health-led regeneration scheme.

The board was informed that construction of 25 new social rented dwellings on the former Mountfort Pub site was successfully completed in September 2024, and that active travel improvements were completed on 5 November 2024. The Kingshurst Park Enhancement works commenced in September 2025 and will be completed before the end of the year.

Demolition of the former shopping parade site and subsequent enabling works were completed in July 2023, which will enable work on Phase 2 to proceed, subject to achieving lease agreements with new tenants and receipt of funding to carry out the capital works.

Phase 2 of the project comprises a new Community, Health and Retail (CHR) building, six new affordable dwellings, a new vicarage, and associated new roads and infrastructure. Phase 3 will involve the demolition of the remainder of the shopping parade on Marston Drive and the construction of a further 47 affordable homes.

In January 2025, the council's cabinet approved delegating authority to the Director of Economy and Infrastructure to prepare the Full Business Case (FBC) for Phase 2 of the Kingshurst Village Centre Regeneration scheme, to accept external funding from the Enterprise Zone Legacy (EZL) fund, and proceed with the final design (RIBA Stage 4) and cost for delivering Phase 2.

Since entering into the PCSA RIBA Stage 4 contract, several key workstreams have been progressed, including detailed design development with Willmott Dixon, coordination of design elements with the prospective CHR tenants, further refinement of the operating model work in collaboration with various council departments, and working towards the development of the community café business case.

Economic Development, Managed Growth and Skills Scrutiny Board Work Programme 2025/26

The board reviewed and agreed to its work programme for the remainder of the 2025/26 municipal year.

Local Plan

The board received an update on the emerging Local Plan, and made the following recommendations to Councillor A Mackiewicz, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Planning:

• That the council uses the NPPF² 'Duty to Co-Operate' to engage with other West Midlands local authorities through the WMCA in developing housing strategies and via the West Midlands Spatial Development Strategy in order to meet housing targets.
• That the council make representations to central Government seeking for one definitive definition of housing affordability, that relates to local earnings, to be used and nationally recognised for application by all local authorities for the purposes of defining their affordable housing provision through new development.
• That a Water Management Strategy in relation to new development, incorporating flood mitigation proposals, be included and addressed directly through the Local Plan.
• That Policy P4E, titled Meeting Housing Needs – Housing for Older and Disabled People, within the former Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) be used as the basis to ensure provision is made for satisfactory health care services to be provided within reasonable proximity to any new settlements or substantial housing developments, irrespective of whether they are solely intended for these groups. The board also recommended expanding this policy to other developments, defining what 'satisfactory' entails and how it is calculated, and including that healthcare facilities are not only within reasonable distance of new development, but are also accepting new patients, with new development impact also to be recognised in respect of educational provision, roads network, drainage and water management, health facilities, and public transport provision.