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Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

Status: Published / Ongoing Review

Author: Torridge District Council / North Devon Council

Latest Version: May 2016 (Base date 31st March 2015) 

Previous Versions: September 2014 (Base date 31st March 2013) / August 2011 (Base date 1st April 2010)

Introduction

The purpose of the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is to provide up-to-date information on land and buildings that might have the potential to deliver additional housing development in the future.

The results of the study will inform the development plan process by forming an important part of the evidence base that will support the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan, the replacement for the Torridge District Local Plan. The National Planning Policy Framework requires all Local Authorities to prepare and maintain an up-to-date SHLAA. Further detailed guidance about the preparation of a SHLAA is provided within National Planning Practice Guidance.

Partnership Approach

Torridge District Council is working in partnership with North Devon Council (opens in new tab), West Somerset Council (opens in new tab) and Exmoor National Park Authority (opens in new tab) in the preparation of a SHLAA. This will help to ensure consistency of the SHLAA reports across the Northern Peninsula Housing Market Area. The partner authorities use a common methodology and share a Stakeholder Panel of experts to support the preparation of their individual SHLAA reports. The SHLAA Report for Torridge has been prepared in conjunction with North Devon Council.

Methodology

The partner authorities have prepared and published a methodology to govern the preparation of their SHLAAs, based on national practice guidance and best practice. The original methodology was prepared in 2009 and was subject to public consultation. Subsequently, it has been refreshed and updated in 2013/14 to take account of updated national planning policy and guidance along with revised development assumptions. The updated methodology has been subject to review by the Stakeholder Panel and is being used by all partner authorities to guide SHLAA preparation.

Stakeholder Panel

A Stakeholder Panel made up of development industry professionals, public sector bodies and community representatives has supported the SHLAA preparation process. The role of the Stakeholder Panel is to provide balanced expert input into the assessment of potential housing sites and the wider SHLAA preparation process. The Stakeholder Panel are subject to a Constitution and Terms of Reference to govern their conduct. The make-up of the Stakeholder Panel involved within the preparation of each individual SHLAA Report will be clearly stated within it.

North Devon and Torridge SHLAA 2015-16

A second SHLAA review was completed in 2015-16, providing an assessment base date of 31st March 2015.  The associated report was published in May 2016 and this currently constitues the most up-to-date assessment of potential housing land for Torridge.  The Report associated to the assessment is available in the examination library for the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan, with the main report and associated appendicies available under references EB/HSG/4a-q.

North Devon and Torridge SHLAA 2013-14

The preparation of a SHLAA is not a one-off exercise. There is an expectation that it will be maintained and reviewed. A second round of SHLAA Assessment has been completed, rolling forward the SHLAA to a base date of 31st March 2013. The site assessment process has concluded, all sites have been subject to review by the SHLAA Stakeholder Panel and the findings have been compiled into a report which is available below. For convenience the North Devon and Torridge SHLAA Report (Final) - Conclusions (PDF) [179KB] .

  • Appendices 1-6 (PDF) [1MB]
    • Appendix 1. Stakeholder Panel
    • Appendix 2. North Devon: Historical Completions 1996-2013
    • Appendix 3. North Devon: Schedule of Small Sites
    • Appendix 4. North Devon: Schedule of Appraised Sites
    • Appendix 5. North Devon: Schedule of Archived Sites
    • Appendix 6. North Devon: Summary of Findings by Parish
  •   Appendices 9-14 (PDF) [4MB]
    • Appendix 9. North Devon: Defined Geographies
    • Appendix 10. Torridge: Historical Completions 1991-2013
    • Appendix 11. Torridge: Schedule of Small Sites
    • Appendix 12. Torridge: Schedule of Appraised Sites
    • Appendix 13. Torridge: Schedule of Archived Sites
    • Appendix 14. Torridge: Summary of Findings by Parish

Please note that Appendices 7 & 15 contain a very large number of pages.

On-going Review - Submission of New Site Information

The Council is willing to accept information about new sites that people believe have the potential to deliver new housing. Information about new sites should be submitted using the forms available below and be accompanied by a map showing the precise boundaries of the site.

Please note that there is no need to resubmit details of any site that has been previously submitted for consideration through the SHLAA. If however, circumstances have changed or there is further information about the site that you would like considered as part of any future review, then please feel free to submit it to the Council. In doing so, please include the site reference number (starting SHA/...) if it is known. Any received submission will be held on file until any subsequent review is undertaken.

Original Call for Sites

Torridge District and North Devon Councils originally undertook a public 'call for potential housing sites' between 19th February and 1st April 2009. This provided an opportunity for interested parties to submit details of potential land or buildings to be considered as part of the SHLAA. All sites submitted through this opportunity have been assessed, along with others identified from other sources, during the preparation of the SHLAA.

Original SHLAA Report (2011)

The original SHLAA Report for North Devon and Torridge was published in August 2011 and is formed on information with a base date of 1st April 2010. This forms the first SHLAA for the two local planning authorities. The report and associated appendices and an executive summary are available as a series of downloads below. Please note that this report has now been superceded by the 2013/14 Update detailed above.

  • Appendices 1-5 (PDF) [2MB] (opens in new tab)
     
    • 1 - Stakeholder Panel
    • 2 - North Devon: Historical Completions 1996-2010
    • 3 - North Devon: Schedule of Small Sites
    • 4 - North Devon: Schedule of Appraised Site
    • 5 - North Devon: Summary of Findings by Parish
  • Appendices 8-12 (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
    • 8 - North Devon: Defined Geographies
    • 9 - Torridge: Historical Completions 1991-2010
    • 10 - Torridge: Schedule of Small Sites
    • 11 - Torridge: Schedule of Appraised Sites
    • 12 - Torridge: Summary of Findings by Parish

Please note that Appendices 6 & 13 contain a substantial number of pages. These appendices will only be made available in electronic format.

Further Information

If you would like further information on the SHLAA please feel free to  with the Planning Policy Team.

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