Analysis: What is a SHELAA?
A Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) 1 is a government-defined process undertaken by local planning authorities. Its purpose is to identify land which has the potential for the development of residential property.
The authority issues a “Call for Sites” to which landowners and other parties can respond with details including:
- Site and size of the land
- Who owns it
- Any known constraints on development and how they could be overcome
- How many houses could be built
- Anticipated timescales for development
Usually the local authority will have a minimum size for the development to be included in the SHELAA. At Test Valley Borough Council, that minimum is five or more houses.
Inclusion in the SHELAA doesn’t mean that the site will definitely be developed, nor does it preclude being developed for other uses. Any development would have to go through the usual planning application.
Local authorities use the SHELAA to define the full scope of potential development and it is also evidence which supports their formal Local Plan process.
In the 2023 summary of SHELAA registrations for Chilbolton (35MB download), four sites had been identified:
- Thirt Way (near HBS) for five dwellings
- Land east of Upcote and Drove Road for ten dwellings (we understand that this has been withdrawn by the new owner)
- The land proposed by Chilbolton Parish Council (CPC) for affordable, downsize and self-build for 300 dwellings to be built over a period of 10 years (this is now to be revised down to 150 dwellings over 50 to 70 years according to CPC)
- Land southwest of Martin’s Lane for 140 dwellings