Background to the Strategic Housing Land
Availability Assessment (SHLAA)
The SHLAA is a document that will indicate how much land might
potentially be available for housing in the future across West
Lancashire. It will be an important part of the
background information for our Local Development
Framework.
We have been following
government guidance on SHLAAs (external link) whilst
carrying out the study. During autumn 2007 and spring 2008, we
carried out a "Call for Sites" exercise. People were invited
to suggest pieces of land which they thought might be appropriate
housing sites in the future. We also identified possible sites
ourselves by studying maps, aerial photographs, planning
applications and records of enquiries by developers.
We received approximately 270 sites from the public, and
identified another 370 ourselves. We then carried out an
initial assessment of all these sites (it must be
stressed that not all sites are considered suitable for
development).
In April 2008, we appointed the consultants White Young
Green, to work on the SHLAA. Their tasks included
checking the work done by the Councils, completing the site
assessments and estimating the supply of housing land. We
received a draft final report in spring 2009, and consulted on
it during June and July 2009. We will send the comments people have
made to the consultants, so that they can take account of them as
they prepare the final SHLAA report.
We have been carrying out the SHLAA (and JELPS) jointly
with Sefton and Knowsley Borough Councils. To find out more
about the studies in these areas, please visit the
Councils' websites:
What happens if I missed the call for
sites?
There will be other opportunities to suggest sites for
development as we prepare our Local Development Framework (LDF). We
recommend that you join our consultation database so that we can
keep you in touch with LDF matters.
Related information
In addition to the SHLAA, we have been working on another joint
study looking at land for business and industrial uses.