Arun District Council launches annual 'call for sites' to identify land for possible development

‘In line with national planning guidance’, Arun District Council is launching its annual 'call for sites' to ‘help identify future sources of land for development’.

"The exercise gives organisations, landowners and developers an opportunity to tell the council which sites they feel have the potential to meet a range of future development and infrastructure needs. It is important to undertake this exercise on a regular basis to ensure the information held remains up to date,” a council spokesperson said.

The council is interested in receiving submissions or updates for land – including any previously developed land and existing Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) sites – that ‘may have the potential for development’ for:

– Housing (sites of five or more additional new dwellings);

– Economic development (sites of 0.25ha or above or able to provide 500 sqm or above of additional floor space);

– Gypsy and traveller sites;

– Custom and self-build housing;

– Leisure and tourism;

– Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG);

– Blue/green infrastructure - e.g. rewilding, natural flood mitigation, or renewable energy

The council said information gathered will allow it to ‘consider any sites’ that are promoted ‘in relation to their suitability, availability and achievability’ for development.

This will be in the context of planning policy, environmental constraints and the ‘extent to which these can be mitigated or addressed’.

The outputs will help to inform the HELAA.

Councillor Gill Yeates, chairman of the planning policy committee at Arun District Council, said: "The call for sites consultation is an important part of our work to understand what sites may be available to help meet our significant development needs."

The council said it is inviting the community – ‘especially landowners and developers’ – to put forward potential sites and to ‘ensure that we have the most up-to-date information’ on development opportunities, the type of development that is proposed and when it might be available.

The spokesperson added: “This process gives us a better understanding of potential land that might be available for a range of uses including recovering biodiversity and the natural environment, reducing flood risk and carbon emissions, whilst boosting the local economy and helping to meet local housing needs.”

The 'call for sites' will run for eight weeks from June 12 until August 7.

“If you wish to submit details of a new site, or provide an update on an existing site, please complete our online e-form,” the council added.

"The form and guidance notes are on our website (https://www.arun.gov.uk/helaa-brownfield-land-self-build-registers).

“Submissions can include any previously developed land and existing HELAA sites.

“You do not have to own a site to suggest it for development, but you will need to provide us with the landowner's details so that we can contact them. We also suggest you speak to the landowner before submitting details of the site.”

If you have any questions, contact the planning policy and conservation team at [email protected]