Local plans: housing land supply evidence

National policy

NPPF 72 states that planning policies should identify a supply of:

a) specific, deliverable sites for five years following the intended date of adoption (with an appropriate buffer); and

b) specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for the subsequent years 6-10 and, where possible, for years 11-15 of the remaining plan period.

Developable sites

To be considered developable, sites should be in a suitable location for housing development with a reasonable prospect that they will be available and could be viably developed at the point envisaged.

PPG ID: 68-020-20190722 advises that in demonstrating that there is a reasonable prospect, plan-makers can use evidence such as (but not exclusively):

• written commitment or agreement that relevant funding is likely to come forward within the timescale indicated, such as an award of grant funding;

• written evidence of agreement between the local planning authority and the site developer(s) which confirms the developers’ delivery intentions and anticipated start and build-out rates;

• likely buildout rates based on sites with similar characteristics; and

• current planning status - for example, a larger scale site with only outline permission where there is supporting evidence that the site is suitable and available, may indicate development could be completed within the next 6-10 years.

Deliverable sites

To be considered deliverable, sites should be available now, offer a suitable location for development now, and be achievable with a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years. In particular:

a) sites which do not involve major development and have planning permission, and all sites with detailed planning permission, should be considered deliverable until permission expires, unless there is clear evidence that homes will not be delivered within five years (for example because they are no longer viable, there is no longer a demand for the type of units or sites have long term phasing plans).

b) where a site has outline planning permission for major development, has been allocated in a development plan, has a grant of permission in principle, or is identified on a brownfield register, it should only be considered deliverable where there is clear evidence that housing completions will begin on site within five years.

For sites that fall within the definition in (b) above, PPG ID: 68-007-20190722 advises that clear evidence may include:

• current planning status – for example, on larger scale sites with outline or hybrid permission how much progress has been made towards approving reserved matters, or whether these link to a planning performance agreement that sets out the timescale for approval of reserved matters applications and discharge of conditions;

• firm progress being made towards the submission of an application – for example, a written agreement between the local planning authority and the site developer(s) which confirms the developers’ delivery intentions and anticipated start and build-out rates;

• firm progress with site assessment work; or

• clear relevant information about site viability, ownership constraints or infrastructure provision, such as successful participation in bids for large-scale infrastructure funding or other similar projects.

Template

The attached template should be completed for every allocation included in the plan that proposes residential development.

A template should also be completed for any sites that are not allocations in the plan but are assumed to contribute towards the five year supply following the intended date of adoption. It should be assumed that the plan will be adopted no earlier than one year after the date on which it is submitted for examination, and that the 15 year period starts on the 1 April following the date of adoption. So, for example, if a plan is submitted for examination in August 2026, year 1 following adoption would start 1 April 2028.

Relevant, up-to-date evidence as referred to above should be summarised succinctly for each site in the relevant part of the template. This should be proportionate to whether the site is considered “deliverable” or “developable”.

Start dates and build out rates should be realistic, having regard to developer intentions but also evidence relating to the timing of previous development on similar sites in the district and elsewhere in the country.