Housing Land Audit: guidance

Content of the HLA

25. The HLA should comprise two parts – the HLA Report and a HLA Schedule.

Presentation

26. The planning authority should consider how it can publish the HLA in a format which is accessible. As a minimum, there should be a clear report with a schedule published alongside.

27. Good practice for the HLA Report includes using a StoryMap or other map-based programmes to show information spatially. Planning authorities may include different types of analysis in the report: tables, charts and images can be used to explain and interpret the data transparently.

28. Good practice for the HLA schedule includes using a single data spreadsheet to support digital collation and analysis of information, and allows for comparison for future years. A suggested spreadsheet has been provided.

29. To support wider use of the HLA it is important that the audit is as accurate as possible and that the appropriate level of information is provided.

HLA Report

30. The HLA Report should provide an analysis to explain the detail in the accompanying HLA Schedule. This guidance promotes consistency of approach but provides for flexibility for local circumstances. As a baseline, the HLA Report should contain:

• A short summary of the approach taken to collaboration with stakeholders.
• The completions figure for the audit year, and for transparency an explanation of the method used for calculating completions.
• The total capacity of land programmed as ‘deliverable’ and ‘deliverable with constraints’ for 10 years from the base date of the audit.
• A statement on progress towards meeting the LHLR in full by the end of the plan period - by reference to completions and programming.
• The total capacity of ‘constrained’ and ‘undeliverable’ land on the base date of the audit.
• A comparison of completions against the deliverable housing land pipeline, to assess whether delivery of sites is happening earlier than identified in the pipeline, or if sites earlier in the pipeline are not delivering as programmed.
• An analysis of the accuracy of programming, by comparing the previous year’s programming to actual completions, to support continuous improvement but recognising figures will never be identical.
• A summary of the completions and programmed delivery on small sites, and an explanation of the method used to calculate small site completions and programming.

31. It may be helpful to include other information within the HLA Report such as: a comparison of current completions with historical completions, an analysis of delivery on brownfield and greenfield land, delivery of affordable housing, analysis of windfall delivery, and the level of self-build housing delivered. Further, consideration can also be given to a statement monitoring the delivery of housing in relation to the requirements of Section 15(5) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 – including the housing needs and availability of land for housing for older and disabled people, and those in further and higher education.

HLA Spreadsheet

32. The HLA Report should be accompanied by a spreadsheet that collates detailed information for each site. This guidance promotes consistency of approach, with a suggested spreadsheet made available to collate the minimum information listed below. Further detail is provided on methodology from paragraph 35.

• Site name / LDP reference.
• Site location: address / grid reference.
• Site area.
• Year added to HLA.
• Whether the site is allocated in the LDP or is windfall.
• Planning status: detail on the most recent relevant permissions: date and references for relevant planning permission (PP), planning permission in principle (PPiP), and approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC).
• Construction status and when commenced.
• Site capacity: this should be the total capacity in the LDP, then updated to total capacity of the planning permission when available, and then the remaining capacity of sites when under construction.
• Completions for the audit year and total on site to-date.
• Programming of delivery over the next 10 years for ‘deliverable’ and ‘deliverable with constraints’ sites.
• Demolition information as appropriate.
• Pipeline timeframe: short (1-3 yrs), medium (4-6 yrs) or long (7-10 yrs).
• Number of type of home: house / flat.
• Number of type of tenure: market / affordable.
• Deliverability status: Identification of sites as ‘deliverable’, ‘deliverable with constraints’, ‘constrained’ (and identification of constraint), ‘undeliverable’ or ‘removed’.
• Action required to support delivery.
• If the information provided within the HLA remains disputed and by whom.
• Site ownership / developer information.
• Greenfield / Brownfield.
• Whether the site is on the authority’s Vacant and Derelict Land Register.
• Whether the site is for self-build (or proportion of the site dedicated to self-build where appropriate).

33. Additional information may be collated if considered necessary by the planning authority, for example, completions from previous years’ audits, more detailed tenure options that could include: council, RSL, private rented, shared equity, accessible/adapted.

34. Sites should be reviewed each year for their current position as of the base date, not automatically carried forward. In particular, longstanding undeveloped sites should be identified and reviewed. Changes in circumstances of sites are expected and can move between categories each year. Any change in circumstances after the base date but before the HLA has been completed will be captured in the following year’s HLA.