Emerging Local Plan evidence

The Council is gathering evidence that will be used to develop a new Local Plan (also referred to as the ‘emerging Local Plan’). The new Local Plan will set out how Reigate & Banstead Borough will develop in the 15-20 years beyond 2027 (when the current plan period ends). A Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) is one of the pieces of evidence that will be used to help develop the new Local Plan.

What is the HELAA?

The HELAA provides a potential supply of land for development, which can later be considered for allocation for development in the new Local Plan. The HELAA process identifies potential development sites and assesses them to see whether they are suitable, available and achievable for development.  The HELAA considers all types of housing and economic land uses. 

Which sites will be assessed by the HELAA?

The Council will proactively identify as wide a range of potential development sites as possible.  The Council will carry out desktop searches for sites. These searches will include categories suggested by national planning policy guidance (Gov.UK) such as surplus public sector land and derelict land. The ‘Call for Sites’ is another method used to identify sites. 

For each identified site, the assessment will consider whether the site could deliver housing and/or economic development.  This covers a broad range of development types and planning use classes, and could include, but is not limited to:

• Market housing
• Affordable housing (as defined in NPPF Glossary)
• Specialist housing, for example housing for older people
• Sites for people or communities wishing to build or commission their own homes
• Sites for Travellers
• Economic development uses – this could include a wide range of planning uses but for example could include retail, leisure, cultural, office, warehousing and renewable energy developments

How to submit a site

To submit a site for consideration, please follow the guidance and use the online form on the ‘Call for Sites’ page.

When will the HELAA be published?

The Planning Policy Team are currently working on the HELAA; it is not yet ready for publication.  It is anticipated that there will be several iterations of - or updates to - the HELAA between now and the adoption of the new Local Plan in several years’ time.   The iterations will respond to the evolving evidence base, community engagement, future consultation responses, and will generally ensure the HELAA is as up-to-date as possible to inform new Local Plan.

When was a HELAA last carried out by the Council?

The most recent HELAA is the HELAA 2018 (DMP submission) version which was published in May 2018 as an update to the January 2018 version.  This 2018 HELAA was part of the evidence for the current Development Management Plan (DMP).