A car giant's plans to significantly upgrade its manufacturing plant in Solihull have moved a step closer after planners issued a ruling on an environmental impact report.
The development follows last month's announcement that Range Rover's first fully electric model will be built at Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Solihull site, a decision seen as a major boost for the region. As part of the push towards electrification, around 9,000 employees at the Solihull plant have already been upskilled, with a further 1,500 workers trained across the West Midlands. These staff are expected to work on new battery and electric drive unit production lines at the Lode Lane facility.
In August, JLR submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening opinion to Solihull Council, outlining its ambitions for the site. This process allows the council to determine whether a full EIA is necessary and, if so, which areas it should examine.
Planning agents WSP, writing on behalf of JLR, explained in a screening request letter that the company intends to produce a fully electric model for each of its brands by 2030, forming part of a broader goal to achieve carbon net zero across its supply chains, products and operations by 2039. The letter stated that the Solihull plant would play a central role in meeting these targets, but noted that running electric vehicle production alongside existing combustion and hybrid lines creates challenges, meaning parts of the plant must be modernised, expanded and reconfigured.
The screening request covers a package of 20 interlinked projects expected to progress over the next four years. Of these, 11 are classed as major developments, four as minor developments, and three relate to prior approval for demolition work. Among the major proposals are an extension to an existing logistics building, a new 50,000 square metre building to house a paint shop, a new 6,000 square metre painted body store, and a new double-deck multi-storey car park.
In a letter dated October 9, Solihull Council confirmed its decision, stating that after reviewing all the submitted material, it had screened the proposed developments and concluded they were unlikely to have significant environmental impacts. As a result, the council ruled that a full EIA would not be required.
The next stage in the process will see JLR submit a full planning application covering the proposals. Members of the public can view the full EIA screening opinion by searching for reference PL/2026/01558/EIASCR on Solihull Council's planning portal.
Source: https://www.birmingham-now.co.uk/
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