Information on potential development sites

Housing and Commercial/Community/Other

The City Council is currently preparing several Local Development Framework (LDF) documents which will replace the Local Plan. For both the Core Strategy and the Site Allocations Development Plan we required information on potential development sites within the city. The request for information on potential development sites closed on the 21st July 2008. The information we have been provided with is important as it is helping to formulate planning policies for the city.

Housing

In accordance with government guidance the council is preparing a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). The purpose of a SHLAA is to:

• Identify sites with potential for housing;
• Assess their housing potential; and
• Assess when they are likely to be developed.

Government advice indicates that as a minimum the SHLAA should aim to identify sufficient specific housing sites for at least the first 10 years of the Core Strategy, from the anticipated date of adoption, and ideally for longer than the whole plan period.

It should be noted that the SHLAA will not determine whether a site should be allocated for housing. The findings will feed into other development plan documents which will allocate sites, such as the City Centre Action Plan and the Site Allocations document.

From the information received and a survey to assess their potential for housing, the council has drawn up a comprehensive list of possible housing sites.

Our intention is to prepare the final draft SHLAA report by mid December which will be provided as a background document for the proposed Submission Core Strategy consultation. After we have received and considered any comments on the draft SHLAA report we will amend the SHLAA appropriately before finalising it prior to submitting the Core Strategy.

If you would like further information please telephone 023 8083 4565 or email city.plan@southampton.gov.uk