It has been announced that as part of Local Government Reorganisation Warwickshire will be divided into two new unitary authorities covering the north and south of the county.
Nuneaton and Bedworth, North Warwickshire and Rugby councils will form the new North Warwickshire Unitary Authority, while Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick councils will form the new South Warwickshire Unitary Authority. Warwickshire County Council and the five existing district and borough councils will ultimately be abolished, with county and district-level services transferred to the two new authorities.
The changes will have major implications for developers, creating new political and administrative structures responsible for planning, housing, highways, transport and infrastructure. Shadow elections are expected in May 2027, potentially bringing significant changes to political leadership, committee structures and development priorities.
Reform UK has established a significant presence in the north of the county following its gains in the 2025 and 2026 local elections. Cllr George Finch currently leads both Warwickshire County Council and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, placing him and the Reform group in a potentially influential position ahead of the creation of the new North Warwickshire authority. However, the outcome of the shadow elections and the future political control of the authority remain uncertain.
In the south, the reorganisation comes at an important stage in the preparation of the South Warwickshire Local Plan. Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon councils have recently approved the plan to proceed to Regulation 19 consultation, running from 21 July to 8 September 2026, ahead of its anticipated submission for examination later in the year.
From a planning and development perspective, the reorganisation should simplify the current two-tier system by bringing local and strategic planning, housing, transport and infrastructure responsibilities within the same authority. This has the potential to create clearer lines of engagement and more coordinated decision-making between development proposals and the infrastructure needed to support growth.
