Brownfield Land Register

The Government has introduced through the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017 a requirement for Local Planning Authorities in England to prepare, maintain and publish registers of previously developed (brownfield) land by 31 December 2017 which must then be updated at least annually.

The intention of Brownfield Land Registers is to provide up-to-date and consistent information on sites that Local Planning Authorities consider to be appropriate for residential development having regard to the criteria set out in the regulations and associated guidance.

Registers are in two parts, Part 1 comprises all brownfield sites that a Local Planning Authority has assessed as appropriate for residential development. Local Planning Authorities are, through the Town and Country Planning (Permission in Principle) Order 2017, also able to trigger a grant of permission in principle for sites they consider appropriate for residential development. Part 2 of the register would then include only those sites granted permission in principle.

To be considered suitable for inclusion in the Brownfield Land Register sites must be previously developed as per the definition outlined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. They must also fulfill the criteria outlined in the Regulations below:

(a) The land has an area of at least 0.25 hectares or is capable of supporting at least 5 dwellings;

(b) The land is suitable for residential development;

(c) The land is available for residential development; and

(d) Residential development of the land is achievable.

Part 1 of the Brownfield Land Register has been completed for Hartlepool. No sites have been included on Part 2 of the register at this time.