Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
The Council has recently completed the first part of an update to the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). This part looks at Market Housing sites. Other parts will assess sites for rural affordable housing and sites for Gypsy and Travellers.
The purpose of the SHLAA is to identify and assess potentially suitable sites for housing. It is not a policy document and does not dictate future policy direction. It enables the Council to demonstrate to the government that Huntingdonshire has an adequate supply of housing land for the needs of all in accordance with their guidance. Decisions on which sites will be developed will be made through the forthcoming Planning Proposals Development Plan Document (DPD) and Gypsy and Traveller Sites DPD. Local communities will be fully engaged in preparation of these plans during this year.
Sites have been put forward by developers and agents which the Council has assessed using a methodology which is consistent with Government SHLAA guidance. A site has been assessed according to whether it is:
- Suitable – it offers a suitable location and can contribute to the creation of sustainable, mixed communities
- Available – is free of legal ownership issues and the intent to develop has been shown
- Achievable – it can be developed at a particular point in time
- This assessment has been made using professional judgement of officers within the Council
The SHLAA consultation gives people the opportunity to comment on sites which have been assessed in the SHLAA Update for Market Housing. The purpose of the consultation is primarily to confirm the details and boundaries of sites considered within the SHLAA Update. It is not intended that new sites be submitted in response to this consultation.
The consultation will run from 29 January to 26 February 2010. It is anticipated that the remaining two parts of the SHLAA will be available for consultation later in the spring.
The SHLAA takes the form of several documents, which can be viewed by clicking in the 'Linked Documents' box to the right of this page.
For full details on how to view the document and make comments, please click on the Consultation Portal button in ‘External Links’ and read the guidance notes (these are also available in ‘Linked Documents’).
For more information please contact a member of Development Plans on 01480 388 431 / 2 / 3 or email us using the link in ‘Related Links’
It is important to stress that whilst the SHLAA identifies and assesses potentially suitable housing sites, the decision regarding which sites will be allocated will be made in the Planning Proposals Development Plan Document (DPD) and Gypsy and Traveller Sites DPD. These DPDs will undergo full public engagement in accordance with national legislation before any decisions are made.