What are we proposing to do?
Assessing the land which may be available for future development in our area is an important part of strategic planning. We regularly update our assessment of the supply of suitable land for certain sorts of development (known as the Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment, or HELAA).
In order to involve local individuals and organisations in this process, we are making a public request to identify sites and broad locations within Bath and North East Somerset which may be suitable for the following types of development:
- Providing housing
- Providing employment or similar economic development
- Providing new settlements
We will assess all proposed sites for their suitability, and this work will form part of the evidence base to inform the Local Plan.
In order to sustainably plan for housing and economic development, we will need to consider all reasonable options through the Local Plan, which could include the potential for a new settlement. Therefore, identification or promotion of land for a potential new settlement is specifically requested in this call for sites.
The HELAA is a technical assessment process of the suitability, availability and achievability of land for development. The HELAA process does not affect the planning status of any land which is assessed.
How can you respond?
You can submit proposed sites and broad locations at any time through our online form.
The call for sites form will remain open throughout the preparation of the Local Plan and submissions can be made at any time. Please note, that for a site to be considered as a potential allocation within the Draft stage of Local Plan preparation, sites will need to be submitted by the close of the Options consultation. Please see our Local Development Scheme for details of the preparation phases of the Local Plan.
Before you submit a site
We recommend discussing the site's potential with its owner, and researching the planning history of the site before submitting the site. The more information you are able to supply about the site, the more easily we will be able to assess it.
Please note we will carry forward any sites already proposed in our current draft HELAA document (submitted with the Local Plan Options Consultation, February 2024). If the site you wish to propose is already on this list, there is no need to resubmit the proposal, unless you would like to update any details about the site, such as a change of ownership or potential use of the site. If a site you previously submitted is no longer available for development you should also let us know.
How to use our mapping tool
Would you like to arrange a meeting to discuss your submission?
Through the form, you can indicate your preference for a meeting with the Planning Policy 'place lead' for your area, where you can discuss your development proposal. We'll also provide you with a constraints map and any available site history from our Policy Team. Please note that this is a chargeable service.
Our submission discussion services provides you with valuable guidance and support from experienced professionals, helping you to navigate the planning process with greater confidence.
The fee for this service is £300, with a processing time of 25 working days (subject to the number of requests received being located in one place).
If our initial advice is that your project has potential to be included in the emerging Local Plan, you may want to consider the best way forward. Our charge for subsequent meetings is £250.
Once the Local Plan has progressed and you have a scheme worked up, this could include taking advantage of our pre-application advice service, provided by our Development Management Team. Using the pre-application service, at the appropriate time, can help ensure a smoother application determination process.
What's next?
We periodically take stock of the sites we are aware of at a given date, so that we can produce an updated assessment, and we will publish an updated HELAA report, alongside the Local Plan. Please note, that for a site to be considered as a potential allocation within the next stage of Local Plan preparation, sites will need to be submitted before the close of the Options phase of consultation, which closes on the 8th of April 2024. Please see our Local Development Scheme for details of the preparation phases of the Local Plan.
You can check our most recent draft HELAA document at any time.
Who do I contact for more information?
If you have a question about the site proposal process, HELAA or Local Plan, please email planning_policy@bathnes.gov.uk.