The deadline for responses to the Shropshire Council Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment is June 3, 2008, so there is little time to waste.

As part of the background-evidence-gathering exercise for the emerging Shropshire Council Local Development Framework, a SHLAA is being undertaken for the new unitary area.

This is not a formal Development Plan Document but it will play an important role in the overall process and guide housing policy/allocation over a 20-year period.

The purpose of the SHLAA is to identify potential sites which may be suitable for housing and achievable over a 20-year period. However, decisions over which sites should be approved for development will be made by the new Shropshire Council through the statutory planning process. A formal timetable is still yet to be set out.

An invitation is now made to all landowners, the house building industry and agents with knowledge of and interests in the area to put land opportunities forward for consideration.

With the changes that have come about in light of the unitary authority, it effectively means that the consultation process is starting again and all sites that have been put forward within the respective districts/boroughs will need to be put forward again. There is also opportunity now to put any new sites forward for consideration.

Guy Evans of Carter Jonas says: “Now is the opportunity to submit details of any site capable of accommodating five or more dwellings within, or on the edge of, the following settlements.

“The focus of attention is on previously developed or ‘brownfield’ land, vacant sites, or buildings that are evidently under used and/or are conspicuously inappropriate to their neighbouring uses within these settlements. However, ‘greenfield’ sites on the edge of allocated settlements will also be considered.”

Carter Jonas have a wealth of experience in making professional representations on behalf of landowners and if you require any further information then please contact them.