Stage 1: Identifying sites

Question

Accepted Answer

We have published this guidance now so that LPAs can see the direction of travel for the new plan making system. We will review the guidance and make any necessary revisions and updates as the new system is implemented, and related regulations and policy are confirmed.

For plans under the legacy plan-making system听听

If you are听submitting听your plan under the legacy system, use the听create or update a local plan legacy system guidance.听

The legacy system covers plans to be adopted under the听Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, excluding the amendments made by the LURA,听and The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

It is听essential you carry out a听thorough听audit of available land听in your area.听The number of sites you听identify听should not be constrained by the need for development in your area.听This is to make sure you听can听identify听a sufficient range and quantity of听potential听sites听to听be assessed later in the process.

It is likely that some听of your听identified听sites will be discounted听during assessment.听For example,听because听they:听听

are听not suitable听for development听听
are听not听available for development听
do听not align with your preferred strategy听

You will need to听identify听enough sites to allow for choices and decisions to be made on which sites are the most听appropriate for听your plan,听which听will听allow you听to听arrive at the best possible outcomes for your local area.

Demonstrating you have听carried out a thorough听site identification听process听is an听important听part of听your听sites听evidence base.

Learn more about Stage 2: Assessing sites, Stage 3: Determining your draft allocations, or Stage 4: Confirming your draft allocations and recording your decisions听

Aim of this section听

understand how to identify a range of potential sites in your local area听
consider the size and type of sites you might need听
know where to look for these sites听

Output of this section

a list of sites with potential for development in your area that will be assessed in stage 2

Finding potential sites听

Start by听proactively听identifying听sites yourself听from existing sources听such as those set out below.听As part of this consider听if听there are听sites听that听have the potential to听be improved,听intensified听or changed.听As听your aim is to听identify听potential sites for听further听assessment, you听do not听need to听consider any constraints听on land or development听at this听stage.

Record any relevant information on these sites that may help you when you assess the sites in Stages 2 and 3. The guidance on 鈥楻unning a call for sites鈥橽u003c/a> sets out the type of information you may find useful.听

Potential sources of sites include:听

allocations in current local and neighbourhood plans听
the brownfield land register听
planning applications (permissions and previous refusals)
pre-application submissions (in agreement with developers)
current or previous land availability assessments听
land owned by the local authority and other public bodies in consultation听
new or previous capacity or intensification assessments听
vacant and derelict land and buildings听
land in alternative use that may be suitable for re-development, such as commercial buildings or car parks听
opportunities to intensify uses or redevelop areas (particularly in urban areas)听
opportunities to extend existing settlements听

Alongside this, you should run a call for sites to identify additional opportunities.听

Size and type of sites you need听

You should听identify听a range of听different size听sites听in听your area.听This will help you听plan听for听a mix of development opportunities to meet听your听identified development needs. This includes small-scale sites听through听to those with opportunities for听larger-scale development,听and听broad locations for development where听appropriate.

You听may want to apply听a听minimum听site听size听threshold.听The听threshold听you choose听is likely to听depend听on the characteristics of your area and the听amount of development you are planning for.听Your approach to听identifying听sites should be thorough but proportionate.听If,听later in the process,听you听find you do not have听sufficient听sites, you may need to听lower听the threshold听and reconsider听sites you previously discounted.

You will听likely need听to听identify听sites for a听variety听of听different听types听of听housing and employment听uses. While听you will consider听specific uses听for sites听in more detail听later in the process, as you are听identifying听sites,听keep in mind that听land for听different听types听of housing and employment uses may be听identified听from听different sources,听and may depend on your local circumstances.

Different types of housing sites could include:听

market housing for sale or rent (including build to rent and co-living)听
affordable housing听
specialist housing, such as homes for older people and disabled people听听
self-build and custom-build housing听
student accommodation听

You can also use this to identify potential pitch and plot locations to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers and travelling show people. 听

Different types of employment sites could include:听

offices, leisure and retail听
research, development and knowledge听
industrial听
logistics听
data centres听
employment-led mixed use听

Next steps听

Learn about running a call for sites, including what information to collect and where to publicise.

Running a call for sites听

Learn where and when to publicise your call for sites to potential respondents, including what information to collect on each site.

A call for sites is an effective way of finding new sites for potential development that have not been previously identified. It asks stakeholders including developers, landowners, public bodies and the general public to propose land they think is right for development. These can then be assessed, with the most appropriate put forward for allocation during the local plan process.听

Aim of this section听

how to effectively publicise a call for sites听
understand the different ways and channels to reach potential respondents听
what information to include in your call for sites听

Outputs of this section听

a list of proposed sites with potential for development in your area that will be assessed in stage 2听
detailed information about each site听
(optional) a published list of听these听sites

Who to target with a call for sites听

Issue the call for sites to as wide an audience as possible, including:听

developers and house builders听
estate agents and local property agents听
landowners听
land promoters听
planning consultants听
businesses and interest groups听
public bodies听
local councillors听
parish and town councils听
neighbourhood planning forums听
local residents and the wider public听
other departments within your authority听听

Remember - anyone can propose land for development, even if they do not own the land they are putting forward, so include whoever you need to give you a thorough audit of your options.听

When publicising the call for sites it is helpful to share as much information about your draft local plan as possible. This will give respondents useful context and make it more likely they suggest appropriate sites. The detail you can provide will depend on how far you have progressed on other local plan work but could include:听

an early indication of the vision for your area, to be included in your draft local plan听
an initial assessment of housing and employment land needs听
your local plan timetable听听

When and how to publicise your call for sites听

You can run a call for sites in a way that suits you best. This could be open-ended throughout the process, periodically open at certain times, or open for a defined number of weeks. The approach you take will determine the number of sites that are likely to be put forward.听

You can keep your call for sites open for the length of the site identification, assessment and selection process. This might increase the number of responses but may make assessment more difficult if sites are still being proposed throughout. The approach you take to timings will depend on the desired outcome for your area. 听

Publicise your call for sites where people are most likely to see it. It will increase your chances of getting more respondents and make the process more transparent.听

Examples of good places to publicise include:听

your local council website听
local bulletins听
public meetings听
direct emails to interested people (for example, people who have previously asked to be notified of updates or progress on local planning policy)
media channels, for example, the council magazine as well as online social media听

What information to ask for in a call for sites听

It鈥檚 essential to be clear about what you want from respondents.听听

It helps to standardise the information you receive and makes categorising and assessment easier. It also ensures the process is transparent and fair, as responders do not share more than they need to if expectations are clear.听听

Where possible, use an online form to collect the information you need. It will help make it more likely that respondents share only what you鈥檝e asked for, and in a consistent format. This will save time when it comes to reviewing responses.听听

There is a minimum level of site data you should collect. It should give you enough detail to make an informed assessment. As well as this, you have the flexibility to ask any locally relevant questions that might help the process.

You should collect this information as standard:

Category	What should be included
Respondent details	contact details听 relationship to site - for example, owner, developer
Site location	address, including postcode grid references / what3words digital mapping - GIS layer / shapefile
Site information	site size type of site - for example, is it previously developed previous and current use relevant planning history any previous site promotion any pre-application discussions details of vehicle access to and from public highway
Proposed site use	single or multiple use specific or preferred use(s) potential scale of development
Known constraints	needing investigation before development - for example, flood risk issues mitigations for known risks
Any other considerations	if the site has multiple owners when the development could start and reasons for this details of market interest such as evidence of discussions with developers/housebuilders likely viability - for example, if there are any known factors that could result in abnormal development costs

Reviewing and collecting extra information听听

When advertising your call for sites,听you should be clear that any information provided that听is not relevant at this stage may not be used. You can reserve the right to not review it.听Equally, if you feel extra information would be useful, you can request it later.

Sometimes not everyone will be able to share all the information you have asked for. You can decide whether what they provide is听sufficient听to work with.听You need to ensure you have enough information to make robust assessments of the sites, so you could also听seek听to听collect extra information independently from a call for sites to help with this.

Contacting respondents听听

You should tell anyone who submits information when you:听

have received their submission听
will assess their site听
will be in contact if you need more information听

You should also confirm that you will hold their data in accordance with data protection principles. Otherwise, there鈥檚 no need to contact respondents unless you need to clarify anything with them.听

Examples of things you may need to clarify include:听

checking general facts and information they鈥檝e given you听
development progress for sites with planning permission听
understanding the type and scale of development for proposed sites听
more detail on deliverability and how any barriers might be overcome听

Publishing your sites听

Once you鈥檝e done听a thorough process to听identify听sites,听it鈥檚听up to you whether you publish听a听list听of the sites听at this stage. There is no requirement to do so, but听it听could help make the process more transparent.

Publishing gives residents the chance to see听all听the sites听identified,听and provide more information, if available. It also helps them feel more connected to the local plan and allows them to track the identification and selection process more closely.

If you decide to publish, we recommend including a detailed or interactive map for increased clarity. It is also essential to point out that these sites have not听yet听been听assessed听and no decisions have been made on which sites may or may not be taken forward into the draft local plan.

At this stage you may only need to include basic information on a map, such as the sites鈥�:听

name听
location听
suggested land use听听

Before publishing any details of the sites consider what information should not be made public, in line with the data protection principles. This could include personal data such as the contact details of those who have proposed sites.听

Next steps听

Once you have finished听identifying听your sites and gathering the information you need, you should start Stage 2: Assessing sites.

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