A call for sites is a way to suggest sites that might be available for development in the future. This is a normal part of plan making. Previous calls may be found on our Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment SHLAA) pages.
The Council is currently exploring how the next Local Plan will deal with growth in Cornwall to 2050. Any revised plan will need to identify enough land to meet future requirements. This includes:
- new homes and employment space
- community infrastructure and tourism
- sites for Biodiversity Net Gain and Nutrient Neutrality mitigation and/or nature-based initiatives.
The batch of sites received (before 1st May 2024) is now being assessed. These will be reported on in July 2024. Initial feedback to be given to the applicants in the meantime.
Our call for sites remains open with new sites and amendments to be reported on in advance of the next local plan
Please follow this link to submit a site: Call For Sites 2024 (urbanintelligence.co.uk)You must complete a separate form for each site submission. A copy of the questions that you will be asked can be downloaded. Please note that all submissions must still be made using the link above. If you cannot submit electronically please contact the policy team.
The ‘Call for Sites’ does not determine how much new development is needed, or whether a site will be allocated in the Local Plan. It is an opportunity for anyone to suggest sites that they would like to be considered in the future local plan. This includes:
- landowners
- developers
- businesses
- organisation community groups and
- residents
A broad range of sites will be needed to help meet development requirements for a variety of different land uses. These might include:
- Housing (which could include:
- market-led housing,
- affordable housing,
- older-persons housing,
- supported living,
- student accommodation,
- self-build plots,
- other types of specialist housing)
and Gypsy and Traveller pitches
- Employment
- Commercial uses (including offices, retail, leisure, hotel and mixed commercial uses)
- Community uses
- Tourism
- Public Green Space
- Energy Generation
- Nutrient Neutrality mitigation land
- Biodiversity Net Gain
To be considered, sites must:
- have an area of at least 0.25 hectares or be capable of accommodating 5+ dwellings or 500+ sqm of employment floorspace
- be located within or next to an existing settlement or in a sustainable location (for residential and commercial uses)
- NOT be within a designated:
- Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
- Special Protected Areas (SPA)
- Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
- Flood Zone 3b
We will particularly encourage the reuse of vacant or derelict land. Also opportunities for strategic conversions or extensions to existing buildings.
How to promote or nominate a site
Our call for sites will be open initially between 20 February and 22 April 2024.
Please follow this link to submit a site: Call For Sites 2024 (urbanintelligence.co.uk) You must complete a separate form for each site submission.
You do not need to own a site to make a nomination, but we do ask that the landowner is made aware before a site nomination is submitted.
Different parts of the call may have different requirements and different tests applied to them. For example nature sites, commercial and housing.
What happens to the sites suggested
All sites will be subject to an initial test. This will tell applicants whether the site meets our basic test. These are designed to make sure that the site is suitable for the call. This might include whether it meets a minimum size and does not impact important designations.
A more detailed assessment of all the sites and proposed uses will be made, to determine their potential suitability. We will set up a panel to help act as a ‘sounding board’ for this work. This will include representatives from the Council, the development industry, communities and Councillors.
All submissions will be made publicly available on our website. Sites put forward are suggestions and are not allocated and may not be supported in planning applications.
We will look at how much and what sorts of developments are needed in Cornwall between now and 2050 in the next Local Plan. This will set out what additional land needs to be allocated to meet these needs. We will work with and consult on the plan widely. This is likely to start formally in 2025.
