Work continues to get a project aimed at supporting housing developments on under-used council land in Solihull back on track.

In August, members of the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Investment Board was told the 'Accelerated Housing Delivery – Utilising Solihull Assets' programme and other spin off schemes had been hit with delays.

The project is designed to support housing delivery through redeveloping underused Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) sites and tackling issues which might prevent building.

The £2.82 million scheme was originally approved in 2018 with a completion date set for 2023 but this has not been extended until April 2032.

Among the reasons given for this include adding two extra projects within the programme, the withdrawal of the Solihull Draft Local Plan in 2024 having an impact on outline business case (OBC) submission timescales, national legislation changes impacting the market as well as delays with planning and landowner negotiations.

Spin off schemes include the Middlewood House project which will see 23 affordable net zero homes created.

This had an original completion date for June 2023 but this has been pushed back until 2029. This is an additional two years longer than the original time extension requested in August.

The report said WMCA has raised queries about this with SMBC and discussions continue to take place between the two authorities.

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Another is Rowood Drive which will see the building of 33 new homes created on a former SMBC owned playing pitch.

This had an original completion date set for 2025 but this has been delayed for another three years.

A report to Investment Board on Monday (October 19) provided an update to members on the current position with the projects.

On the 'Accelerated Housing Delivery – Utilising Solihull Assets', it said: "A project change request (incorporating Playing Pitch Implementation Strategy) was resubmitted to extend the timeline to April 2032 for the submission of OBCs for the identified deliverable sites.

"The Change Request was initially reviewed by WMCA stakeholders with queries returned to SMBC to respond.

"An amended Change Request was submitted 24 July 2026 to address stakeholder queries and following review internally comments have been returned to SMBC for response."

(Header image by Richard Law via Geograph.org.uk)