Here are the key points to consider
- The land must be deliverable within the five-year period. This means that there should be a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within this timeframe.
- Evidence of deliverability might include site assessments, planning status, and infrastructure availability.
Infrastructure:
While the exact requirements can vary, generally, for a site to be considered deliverable, it should have access to essential infrastructure, or there should be a clear and feasible plan for providing it.
This includes:
- Access Roads: There should be suitable access to the site for construction and future residents. If an access road is not already in place, there should be a clear plan and commitment to building one.
- Utilities (Media): The site should have, or be capable of having, essential utilities such as water, electricity, gas, and sewage systems. If these services are not yet connected, there should be clear, feasible plans and commitments to provide them.
While the local planning authority ensures that sites included in the Proven Five Year Housing Land Supply are deliverable and have the potential for development, the actual provision of infrastructure such as roads and utilities is typically the responsibility of the developer, often secured through planning conditions or obligations.
To ensure that infrastructure is provided, local planning authorities can use planning obligations, also known as Section 106 agreements, to require developers to contribute to or directly provide necessary infrastructure as part of their planning permission. These agreements can stipulate that certain infrastructure must be in place before development can proceed or before any homes can be occupied.
- The site must be suitable for housing development. This involves compliance with local planning policies and alignment with the broader strategic housing objectives.
- Suitability also takes into account environmental constraints, access to amenities, and infrastructure capacity.
- The land must be available for development now. There should be no legal or ownership barriers that would prevent development from commencing.
- Availability may be demonstrated through landowner agreements or developer commitments.
- The development on the site must be achievable within the five-year period. This includes financial viability and the likelihood of obtaining necessary planning permissions.
- Achievability also considers market demand and the developer’s track record in delivering similar projects.
- The proposal should support the objectives of the NPPF, such as promoting sustainable transport, high-quality design, and climate change mitigation.
- The planning approval should consider the impact on the local community and environment. This includes preserving the character of the area, protecting green spaces, and mitigating adverse effects.
- Public consultation and environmental assessments are critical components in evaluating these impacts.
Conclusion
For a planning approval to count towards the proven Five Year Housing Land Supply, it must demonstrate that the land is deliverable, suitable, available, achievable, and compliant with NPPF guidelines. Ensuring these criteria are met is essential for maintaining a robust and effective housing supply strategy that balances development needs with community and environmental considerations.
