• 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.

• 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 development must align with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including considerations for sustainable development and meeting local housing needs.

• 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.

• Water butts are connected to the downpipes of a building’s guttering system to collect rainwater runoff.
• They come in various sizes and shapes, typically ranging from 100 to 300 litters, although larger ones are available.

• The collected rainwater is primarily used for watering plants, lawns, and gardens.
• It can also be used for cleaning purposes, such as washing cars or outdoor surfaces.
• Reduces demand on mains water supply and helps lower water bills.

• Using a water butt helps conserve water, especially during dry periods or droughts.
• It contributes to sustainable water management practices.
• Reduces the volume of runoff entering the drainage system, which can help prevent flooding and reduce the burden on sewer systems.

• Typically placed near the downpipe of a roof guttering system.
• Often comes with a tap or spigot at the bottom for easy water access.
• Can be connected to other water butts to increase storage capacity.

• Regularly check for debris that might block the inlet.
• Clean the interior occasionally to prevent algae and mosquito breeding.
• Ensure that the lid is secure to keep out leaves and pests.

• The metric helps assess the existing biodiversity value of a site before any development.

• It quantifies the number of biodiversity units present in various habitat parcels within the site.

• It evaluates the impact of development on biodiversity, calculating the expected losses and gains in biodiversity units.

• This includes considering both on-site and off-site habitat creation or enhancement.

• The metric incentivises creating and enhancing habitats where they are most needed to improve ecological networks.

• It rewards early action by landowners who create or enhance habitats in advance.

• Updated and simplified approaches are used to assess the condition of habitats, ensuring accurate valuation.
• The tool allows professional ecologists to apply their judgment if the standard scores do not reflect the true value of a habitat parcel.

• The metric is used throughout the planning and development process to ensure that biodiversity gains are considered and achieved.

• It supports the legal requirement under the Environment Bill for developments to achieve at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity.

Baseline Assessment: Conducting an initial assessment to understand the existing biodiversity and ecological value of a site before development.

Quantitative Metrics: Using standardized metrics to measure biodiversity losses and gains. In the UK, the Defra Biodiversity Metric 3.0 is often used for this purpose.

On-site Measures: Enhancing existing habitats or creating new ones within the development site.

Off-site Measures: Implementing biodiversity enhancement projects at different locations if on-site measures are insufficient.

Management Plans: Developing and implementing long-term management and monitoring plans to ensure that biodiversity gains are sustained over time.

Legal and Financial Mechanisms: Ensuring that legal agreements and financial arrangements are in place to support ongoing biodiversity management.

Community and Expert Involvement: Engaging local communities, ecologists, and other stakeholders in the planning and implementation process to ensure the measures are appropriate and effective.

Enhances habitats, supports species recovery, and increases ecosystem resilience.

Can enhance property values, reduce regulatory risks, and provide marketing advantages for developers.

Improves quality of life by creating green spaces and promoting well-being.

SuDS aim to manage surface water runoff close to where it falls and mimic natural drainage as closely as possible. This involves techniques such as infiltration, storage, and slow release of water to reduce flood risk.

By filtering pollutants from runoff, SuDS help to improve the quality of water entering rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. This can be achieved through natural filtration processes involving vegetation and soil.

SuDS can create attractive environments and habitats for wildlife. Features such as green roofs, ponds, wetlands, and swales can enhance the local environment, providing recreational spaces and supporting biodiversity.

Allows water to infiltrate through the surface into the ground, reducing runoff.

Vegetated roof systems that absorb rainwater, provide insulation, and support biodiversity.

Shallow, vegetated channels that slow and filter runoff.

Planted areas that collect and absorb rainwater from roofs, driveways, and streets.

Bodies of water designed to store runoff, enhance water quality, and provide wildlife habitats.

By controlling the flow and volume of surface water, SuDS help reduce the risk of flooding.

Natural filtration processes improve the quality of water before it enters watercourses.

SuDS provide green spaces, enhance urban aesthetics, and support local ecosystems.

SuDS contribute to climate adaptation by managing the impacts of extreme weather events.

• Large Developments: Applications involving a significant number of new houses (such as over 50) are often referred to the Planning Committee due to their potential impact on the local area.

• Outside Settlement Boundaries: Developments proposed outside the designated settlement boundaries are likely to be scrutinized more closely, especially if they involve substantial construction, as these areas are usually protected by local planning policies to control urban sprawl and preserve the character of the countryside.

• High Public Interest: Applications that generate a large number of public comments or objections are more likely to be considered by the Planning Committee.

• Controversial Developments: Projects that are contentious or have significant local opposition may also be referred to the Committee to ensure a transparent decision-making process.

• Policy Deviations: Proposals that do not fully comply with local or national planning policies may require Committee consideration to carefully weigh the benefits and impacts.

• Sensitive Areas: Developments affecting sensitive areas such as green belts, conservation areas, or sites with environmental or historical significance are typically referred to the Committee.

• Notification: Stakeholders, including those who have submitted comments, are notified about the meeting.

• Speaking Rights: Members of the public can register to speak at the meeting to present their views.

• Presentation: The planning officer presents the report and recommendation.

• Public Input: Registered speakers present their comments.

• Debate and Decision: Councillors debate the application and make a decision by voting.