Advice Produced by The Department for Communities and Local Government
Demonstrating a 5 Year Supply of Deliverable Sites
Background
1. PPS3 requires Local Planning Authorities from 1 April 2007 to assess and demonstrate the extent to which existing plans already fulfil the requirement to identify and maintain a rolling 5-year supply of deliverable land for housing (paragraph 7) as this influences how planning applications are determined (see PPS3 paragraphs 68-73).
2. In particular, PPS3 paragraph 71 states that 'where Local Planning Authorities cannot demonstrate an up to date 5-year supply of deliverable sites……., they should consider favourably planning applications for housing, having regard to the policies in this PPS including the considerations in paragraph 69'.
3. It follows that where an LPA can demonstrate a 5-year supply of deliverable sites then they should consider planning applications having regard to PPS3, existing Development Plan policies as well as other material considerations.
Purpose
4. This paper sets out advice to Government Offices and the Planning Inspectorate in considering whether Local Planning Authorities are able to demonstrate a 5-year supply of specific sites which are deliverable in the terms of paragraph 54 of PPS3. This applies both to initial assessments as well as those carried out as the 5-year land supply is regularly reviewed and rolled forward, as required by PPS3.
Approach
5. There are three main stages:
i) Identify the level of housing provision to be delivered over the following 5 years which, in the first instance, will be from 1st April 2007 to end March 2012. Local Planning Authorities should use, where available, housing provision figures in adopted Development Plans, adjusted to reflect the level of housing that has already been delivered (within the lifetime of the current plan). Where housing provision figures are not available in the Development Plan for the following 5 years, Local Planning Authorities should make the best available estimate of the level of housing required over the full 5-year period. For example, this may include having regard to the evidence underpinning housing provision policies in the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy, projecting forward based upon current Development Plan figures or drawing on other relevant and up-to-date information.
ii) Identify sites that have the potential to deliver housing during the following 5 years. Potential sites include those that are allocated for housing in the Development Plan, sites that have planning permission (outline or a full planning permission that has not been implemented) and specific, unallocated brownfield sites that have the potential to make a significant contribution to housing delivery during the 5 year period. Such unallocated brownfield sites would normally have been identified by the Local Planning Authority as being suitable for a housing use and have made sufficient progress through the planning process at the time of the assessment to be able to be considered deliverable in the terms of paragraph 54 of PPS3.
iii) Assess the deliverability of the identified potential sites. Paragraph 54 of PPS3 says that to be deliverable, sites should:
- Be available - the site is available now
- Be suitable - the site offers a suitable location for development now and would contribute to the creation of sustainable, mixed communities
- Be achievable - there is a reasonable prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years.
Assessing Deliverability
6. Local Planning Authorities will need to assess whether potential sites (see paragraph 5 ii) are deliverable in the terms of paragraph 54 of PPS3, drawing upon up-to-date information and ensuring that their judgements are clearly and transparently set out, noting any assumptions made. It is important that developers and local communities understand the basis on which the assessment is made.
Deliverability Criteria |
Assessing Deliverability |
|---|---|
Available |
Does the information that supports either the allocation of a site in an up-to-date plan (subject to planning permission), or the granting of a planning permission, clearly indicate that site is available now? |
Suitable |
Can sites that are allocated or have planning permission be regarded as being suitable? |
Achievable |
Does the information supporting the site allocation or planning permission clearly demonstrate that there is a reasonable prospect of housing being delivered within 5 years? It may be necessary to discuss with relevant developers/ landowners and/or analyse current housing market conditions in order to make an informed judgement about this. |
8. Unallocated brownfield sites may be included in the 5 year supply of deliverable sites, but only where the Local Planning Authority is satisfied, having considered the particular circumstances of the specific site, that the site will meet all the tests of deliverability in paragraph 54 of PPS3 and will make a significant contribution to the delivery of housing during the relevant 5 year period. As indicated above, such unallocated brownfield sites would normally have made sufficient progress through the planning process to be able to be considered deliverable in the terms of paragraph 54 of PPS3.
9. Unallocated sites that are not likely to make a significant contribution to the delivery of housing during the relevant 5-year period should not be taken into account in an assessment of the 5-year supply until a planning permission has been granted and the land supply is being reviewed.
Consequences of the Assessment
- Local Planning Authorities should be advised that:
- Where they cannot demonstrate an up to date 5-year supply of deliverable sites, they should:
- Determine planning applications having regard to paragraph 71 of PPS3 (see paragraph 2 above).
- Consider options for increasing the supply of deliverable sites in the short term, for example, through Area Action Plans and/or taking action to address obstacles to the deliverability of potential sites.
- Consider, as soon as is practicable, the development of Local Development Documents that fully take account of PPS3 policies for developing a flexible and responsive supply of land, in particular, having regard to the level of housing proposed in the relevant emerging Regional Spatial Strategy as set out in paragraph 53 of PPS3.
- Where they can demonstrate an up to date 5-year supply of deliverable sites, they should:
- Consider planning applications having regard to PPS3 (in particular paragraph 69), Development Plan policies and other material considerations. In areas with significant demand and need for housing Local Planning Authorities should not necessarily treat the 5-year housing provision figures as a ceiling which cannot be exceeded.
- Determine planning applications for sites allocated later in the overall 15 year land supply having regard to paragraph 70 of PPS3.
- Ensure their plan-making programme provides for Local Development Documents to reflect PPS3 policies as soon as is practicable.
