Housing Land Availability

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

The SHLAA is a study to identify all available sites within South Ribble which have the potential for future housing development. Its primary role is to:

• Identify available sites with the potential for housing;
• Assess each site's housing potential; and
• Assess when these sites are likely to be developed.

A complete review of sites was undertaken in 2010 which has been updated several times since.  No sites are currently being added to the list due to the ongoing Central Lancashire Local Plan review.

Housing Land Position Statement - April 2021 (PDF) [1MB]

Housing Land Position Statement at 1 April 2020 (PDF) [1MB]

Brownfield Register

South Ribble Borough Council maintains a Brownfield Land Register which is available in CSV format.

Brownfield Land Register (Excel doc) [10KB]

This makes information public on all brownfield sites identified as potentially suitable for housing in the borough.  The register will help housebuilders identify suitable sites quickly, speeding up the construction of new homes, and allowing communities to draw attention to local sites for the list, including derelict buildings and eyesores that are primed for redevelopment and could attract investment to the area. 

Please note:

• The number of homes referred to is an estimate unless planning permission has already been granted. 
• Sites may be subject to constraints which the council is not aware of.
• Phased sites are listed by phase (these are large sites which will potentially be developed in a number of parcels).

This data is provided under the Open Government Licence.

Definition of brownfield land suitable for new housing

'Brownfield' (previously developed) land is defined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework as:

Land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure. This excludes:

• land that is or has been occupied by agricultural or forestry buildings;
• land that has been developed for minerals extraction or waste disposal by landfill purposes where provision for restoration has been made through development control procedures;
• land in built-up areas such as private residential gardens, parks, recreation grounds and allotments; and
• land that was previously-developed, but where the remains of the permanent structure have blended into the landscape in the process of time

How to submit or amend site details for the Brownfield Register

We are interested in hearing from you about sites that you would like us to consider, located anywhere in South Ribble, which meet the following criteria:

• land must be suitable for residential development;
• land must be be available for residential development and
• residential development of the land must be achievable.

Where a brownfield site is allocated for a use other than housing in the Local Plan and there is compelling evidence supporting that allocation, it is unlikely that the site would be regarded as being suitable for housing.

To submit a site for consideration you will need to complete the Brownfield Register  Brownfield register submission form (PDF) [129KB]  and provide a map, plan or aerial photograph clearly showing the site's boundaries.  A separate form and a separate map is required for each site. Where it is not possible to complete a form in full or you are unsure as to whether the above criteria would be met, any details will be welcomed.  In order for a site to be considered we need forms to be completed as fully as possible/applicable.

If you would like to provide us with an update on a site already within the SHLAA or Brownfield Register, please do so by completing a new form and including the existing SHLAA reference in the site address at question 3.  If the boundary has changed we will need an up-to-date map plus a new form. A brief explanation of any amendments would also be useful.  If the site is no longer available for housing please let us know so that we can remove it.

The council will assess the Brownfield Register sites annually and only include those it considers suitable.  If a landowner is aggrieved by a decision taken by the council, they still have the option to make an application for planning permission.

South Ribble Council continually accepts housing site suggestions for the Brownfield Register at the following addresses:

• Email: planningpolicy@southribble.gov.uk
• Post: Planning Policy Team, South Ribble Borough Council, Civic Centre, West Paddock, Leyland, PR25 1DH.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us - planningpolicy@southribble.gov.uk or telephone 01772 625451.

NB: The SHLAA and the Brownfield Register are public documents and therefore details submitted for inclusion will become public information.

What happens next?

A site's inclusion in the SHLAA does not imply that it will be made available for housing. The SHLAA is a technical study and not a policy document.  It will identify possible housing sites and assess overall housing potential to support the development of the Local Plan as part of the evidence base.  Inclusion of a site in the SHLAA does not grant permission in principle.  Each site will be assessed individually through the normal planning process.

A site's inclusion on the Brownfield Register identifies it as potentially suitable for housing.  Inclusion of a site on the Register does not grant permission.