Landowners, developers, parish councils and other interested parties are being invited to suggest sites that may be suitable for a range of future uses.
This exercise is part of our work on a new Local Plan for the period 2025 to 2045, which will guide how land is used across the county, including where new homes, jobs, infrastructure and environmental improvements should be located.
The Call for Sites is a technical evidence-gathering exercise aimed at identifying land that could potentially be allocated for certain uses through the new Local Plan. Submitting a site does not necessarily mean that it will be allocated, but it helps ensure that the council is made aware of potential opportunities available as it plans for growth and change over the next 20 years.
The council welcomes submissions for a variety of potential land uses, including:
- Housing (including self-build or affordable housing)
- Employment or economic development
- Renewable energy generation
- Green or blue infrastructure
- Biodiversity or nature recovery
- Community facilities
- Mixed-use schemes
Following an update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by the UK Government, the new standard method for calculating growth requirements has set a 20 year housing requirement for Herefordshire of 27,260 dwellings. To ensure additional flexibility and choice when identifying development land, the aim is to identify sufficient land to accommodate 30,000 dwellings with all other associated development required.
Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet Member Environment, said: ““The call for sites is a very important step in the local plan making process. We have been given a mandatory housing target of 27,260 by the Government which will need to be accommodated along with the employment, educational, health, transport and environmental infrastructure to support that level of growth. We are asking for any sites that might be appropriate to be brought to our attention so we have the widest possible options from which to make the best possible choices.
“I would urge any site promoters and landowners to come forward with their submissions at the earliest opportunity so site assessments can begin.”
The council is introducing a new digital platform for submissions to the Call for Sites consultation. This will improve the efficiency of assessing sites, and offers an improved user experience for site promoters.
For more information, and to take part in the survey, please visit the web page.
To find out more about the wider Local Plan process and timetable, please refer to the Local Development Scheme (March 2025)