Strategic Land Availability Assessments
Call for sites
The 'call for sites' 2023 has now closed. It's still possible to make submissions through the online 'call for sites' form but we will prioritise the assessment of submissions received before 1 July 2023. Submissions received after this date will be assessed in 2024.
The ‘call for sites’ is an opportunity for agents, landowners, and developers to submit land which they think may have potential for:
- new homes (including for the settled and Traveller communities)
- employment land
- mitigation for habitat sites
- renewable or low carbon energy
A guidance note has been produced to provide further details on the site submission criteria for each potential use. To find out more and to submit a site please access the survey below.
Please do not resubmit sites that have already been submitted to any previous Dorset Council 'call for sites' unless there is a change in the proposed use or site extent.
Dorset Council call for sites
All site owner details submitted will remain confidential.
If you are unsure whether to submit a site, you may prefer to have a brief informal discussion over the phone with a planning policy officer before submitting a response to the survey, using the details below.
The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
The Council carried out a 'call for sites' in October 2019 to identify sites that may have potential for development over the next 15 years and beyond. From this a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) has been undertaken.
The SHLAA is available as a live database and as GIS interactive mapping. Sites have been assessed for their development potential and are attributed one of three conclusions; Developable (including affordable housing exception sites), Suitable subject to policy change, or Unsuitable. Please note that although the assessment is an important source of evidence to inform plan-making the assessment does not in itself determine whether a site should be allocated for development, which is the role of the Local Plan. The SHLAA assesses all sites submitted in the October 2019 ‘call for sites’, as well as sites submitted since that date. The SHLAA was published in September 2020, and updated in 2021.
A guidance note and methodology also accompanies this land availability assessment.
If you have any questions regarding the SHLAA please contact the Planning Policy team using the contact details found at the bottom of this page.
Gypsy and Traveller Land Availability Assessment
The Gypsy and Traveller Land Availability Assessment is available as a live database and GIS interactive mapping (to view, select layer control on the menu bar, Planning, Gypsy and Traveller Land Availability Assessment 2023). Sites assessed include those submitted during the ‘call for sites’, existing permitted Traveller sites, known unauthorised sites, and other potentially suitable sites identified by Officers. Sites are concluded as being either Suitable or Unsuitable.
We have not provided specific mapping for all of the sites which have been assessed for suitability through the appraisal to protect the privacy of existing residents. The maps which do provide specific locations for sites either already have planning permission or according to our records are not being used by Travellers.
Please note that although the assessment is an important source of evidence to inform plan-making the assessment does not in itself determine whether a site should be allocated for development, which is the role of the Local Plan.
Data protection and freedom of information
The information collected in this response form will be used by your local planning authority to inform Spatial Policy decisions and related evidence.
By responding you are accepting that your response and the information within it will be in the public domain, and that it may be disclosed if requested under the Freedom of Information Act. However, any published information will not contain personal details of individuals.
Your information will be retained by the council in line with its information retention schedule. Your data will be destroyed once the plan becomes redundant.
If you have any concerns about how your information is used please contact:
