When is an Interim Statement Used?

An interim position statement may be published when:

  • The Local Plan is out of date.
  • A full Housing Land Supply Statement has not yet been completed or published for the current monitoring year.
  • The council is awaiting confirmation of housing delivery numbers (e.g. completions, permissions).
  • There is uncertainty due to appeals or legal challenges that affect the 5-Year Housing Land Supply.

It is a way for the council to indicate its estimated position, e.g. stating that it believes it has 3.2 years’ worth of deliverable housing land, pending final verification.

Status of Interim Statements

  • Not binding — unlike a formally published 5-Year Housing Land Supply Statement.
  • Subject to change — as new data or appeal decisions are incorporated.
  • May be used by officers to inform development management decisions, especially for tilted balance cases.

Relevance to Tilted Balance

If the council publishes an interim statement indicating it cannot demonstrate a full 5-year supply, this can trigger Paragraph 11(d) of the NPPF, meaning the tilted balance applies:

Planning permission should be granted unless the adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.

In such cases, the council must still apply planning judgment and local policies — but with less control due to the shortfall.