Introduction
We ran a Call for Sites for 6 weeks from 13 January 2024 to 24 February 2025
During this time, landowners, developers, and site promoters can submit land they want to develop to the Council. This process is crucial for gathering information to help create the new Somerset Local Plan, following national policy and guidance.
After submissions, we will assess each site’s suitability, availability, and achievability. A report will be published summarising these assessments and the process followed. These assessments will help decide which sites might be considered in future consultations for the new Local Plan. However, the Call for Sites is just one of many ways we gather information for this process.
Submit a Site for development
Before submitting a site, please review our submission guidance. This explains more about the process and submission information requirements. The guidance also includes a full list of the questions that you will be asked in the submission survey, to help you prepare your submission. Some summarised information is also provided in the sections below.
Agents Forum Briefing Session
On Friday, 17 January 2025 we presented to the Agents Forum on the Call for Sites amongst other topics. This provided some additional information about the Call as well as a chance for questions and answers.
View the recording of Agents Forum Call for Sites – 17 January 2025 (youtube.com)
Relationship with the Somerset Local Plan
Please note, this is just an information gathering exercise. We are not consulting on specific proposals, looking for a specific number of sites for a specific number of houses or encouraging submissions in particular locations at this time. Early, focused Local Plan engagement on topics and issues has started separately.
In due course, the Council will consult on the Draft Somerset Local Plan. The Local Development Scheme outlines the official timeline for stages of local plan preparation and consultation. You can find more information in the latest local plan progress report to the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee.
What types of land use proposals can be submitted
You can submit sites for various uses, including housing, economic development, gypsy and traveller pitches and plots, renewable energy installations, and more.
This includes land you would like to see developed for:
- Housing, for example general open market housing both for rent and sale
- Affordable Housing
- Accommodation for older people or supported housing
- Sites suitable for self-build plots
- Sites with potential for Gypsies, Travellers or Travelling Show people
Economic development
- Offices
- Business premises or light industrial
- Advanced engineering
- Data centres
- Distribution and warehousing
- General industrial and manufacturing
- Retail
- Cultural and tourism
Renewable energy development
- Solar
- Onshore wind
- Battery storage
- Other technologies
Other development
- Built leisure and recreational facilities
- Community uses
- Infrastructure
- Others
Mixed use proposals combining a number of different uses can also be submitted.
Where and what sort of sites are we looking for
We are not seeking or encouraging submissions in particular locations at this time. Therefore, sites can be located anywhere within the Local Planning Authority (anywhere in Somerset Council area excluding Exmoor National Park). We are particularly interested to hear about potential opportunities for development, re-use or redevelopment on previously developed land. There is no minimum size threshold for sites to be submitted to the Call for Sites. However, only sites which are at least 0.3 hectares in size themselves, or can be grouped with other submitted sites in the locality to exceed 0.3 hectares will be assessed.
If you want your site to be considered and assessed, you must submit it this time around. We will not carry forward any sites from previous ‘call for sites’ exercises by Somerset Council or its predecessor councils. This is with the exception of those sites which were submitted in the recent call for sites exercise to support the Mendip Local Plan Part II Limited Update.
Please note that while we will consider all proposals of a sufficient size, suggesting a site now does not guarantee that the land will be chosen or that it will get planning permission in the future.
Submitting a site
All sites should be submitted via the Submission Portal wherever possible. However, details on alternative submission methods are explained within the Submission Guidance, above. This makes sure that we get consistent information for all sites, makes data processing easier and speeds up assessments.
The Submission Portal lets you answer submission questions, draw the boundaries or select your site on a map, and attach relevant documentation. Make sure to complete a separate submission for each piece of land you want to submit.
Next steps
When you submit your site through the Submission Portal, you will get a Submission ID automatically. Use this ID in any further communication with the Council about your site. If you submit by email, you will receive a Submission ID after officers manually add your site to the Portal.
After submissions, we will assess each site’s suitability, availability, and achievability. We will use a staged method that combines automated and officer-led assessments based on various criteria. Due to the high number of sites expected, automated, data-driven assessments will help filter and prioritise sites for detailed assessment. The method used to assess sites will be published along with a report summarising the assessment outcomes.
If further information is required, then officers may get in touch with site submitters to seek this information, but generally, assessments will be made based on the submitted information. We will not meet with specific site submitters or promoters to discuss their Call for Sites submissions. If sites from this process are considered as potential options for the local plan, meetings may be considered then.
Site submitters will not get individual feedback on their submissions. However, there will be combined assessment summaries in the overall report when it is published.