Brownfield Land Sites Call Out
As part of our search for suitable sites for development, particularly for sites to help meet our housing need, we are carrying out a search for brownfield sites that may be suitable.
We are looking for brownfield sites that are available and could accommodate 5 or more dwellings or residential units. Brownfield land means land which has previously been developed. The government's definition is:
Land which has been lawfully developed and is or was occupied by a permanent structure and any fixed surface infrastructure associated with it, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed). It also includes land comprising large areas of fixed surface infrastructure such as large areas of hardstanding which have been lawfully developed.
Previously developed land excludes:
- land that is or was last occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings;
- land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill, where provision for restoration has been made through development management procedures;
- land in built-up areas such as residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments; and
- land that was previously developed but where the remains of the permanent structure or fixed surface structure have blended into the landscape.
We have already allocated brownfield sites in the current Local Plan, which identifies land to meet development needs, and more brownfield sites have been submitted to us already for potential allocation in the next Local Plan.
We have also undertaken a search for brownfield land. However, there may be other brownfield sites that we are not aware of, and we would like your help in finding these sites.
Please do not add any personal information to your suggestions, as this will be visible to everyone.
Phases
Review of submissions
Following suggestions for brownfield sites, these will be reviewed and assessed against set criteria and cross-referenced with sites that have already been submitted or allocated.
Basic criteria:
- Brownfield sites (definition of “previously developed land” - simplified - link to full definition in guidance)
- Site must be capable of accommodating at least 5 dwellings - nothing smaller will be considered, as it would not be identified in the Local Plan
- Links to government guidance
Scoping criteria:
- Is the site already allocated for housing? Or has it been the subject of a planning application for housing, whether granted or refused? If so, exclude from further consideration
- Is the site already on the Council’s Brownfield Land Register? If so, exclude from further consideration
- Has the site been submitted as part of a “call for sites”? If so, will already be subject to assessment
- Has the site already been considered as part of the Council’s brownfield land search? (Include/exclude as appropriate)
Policy criteria (NPPF, nPPG and Local Plan):
- Suitability - is the site suitable in planning terms, when considered against LP policies/NPPF, and identified constraints (eg: sites in the Green Wedges, Local Green Space, etc would be discounted). Is the site specifically protected from development; or already allocated for another specific purpose in the Local Plan?
- Availability - the site must be genuinely available for development - ie. not already in use, or intended for use, for another purpose.
- Achievability - where there is a “reasonable prospect” that housing development will be developed on the site during the Plan period (and more particularly, whether it is capable of contributing to the Council’s 5-year housing land supply requirements). This requires a judgement about the economic viability of a site, and the capacity of the developer to complete the development within the Plan period, and so would be part of the full assessment process.
It is likely that a number of sites would be “scoped out” of the assessment process at stages 1 or 2; or by the “availability” criteria, or the more restrictive “suitability” criteria at stage 3.
Only the sites that are assessed as potential candidates following those stages would continue into the full SHLAA (Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment) process (including the achievability assessment, and the suitability criteria that need to be assessed further). This would include trying to contact the landowners to ensure that they were willing for their sites to be considered in this way.
Statutory consultation will follow.