Council launches ‘call for sites’ process

Canterbury City Council has kicked off work on its new Local Plan with a ‘call for sites’.

The Local Plan is the council’s formal planning blueprint, providing a vision and objectives for the future of the district and allocating land for homes, jobs, community use and open space. 

The purpose of the ‘call for sites’ is to gather information about potential sites to see if they could be earmarked in the next Local Plan. All those submitted will be reviewed. 

Land will be needed for a wide range of uses, so people are invited to put forward sites for housing, commercial and community uses.

On housing, this includes market housing, affordable housing, accommodation for students, housing for older people, disabled and specialist needs accommodation, self and custom-build housing and gypsy and traveller pitches.

For commercial, this includes offices, storage and distribution, industrial use, science and research, leisure and tourism and retail.

Community use would include village and community halls, education and pre-school nursery facilities, open spaces and wildlife habitats.

The council is looking to hear from a wide range of people and organisations, including landowners, developers, housebuilders, agents, residents, parish councils and community groups.

Council Leader Cllr Robert Thomas said: “This ‘call for sites’ is a key early piece of the Local Plan jigsaw and we are very keen to hear people’s ideas. The council cannot possibly know each plot of land in the district, so that very local expertise and input is a crucial part of the process.”

To put a piece of land forward for review, go to www.canterbury.gov.uk/callforsites. The deadline is Tuesday 30 June.

Published: 7 February 2020