Guidance notes

What is the Local Plan Initial Engagement and Call for Sites Addendum?

North Lincolnshire Council is in the early stages of preparing a new Local Plan for the area. The Local Plan Initial Engagement and Call for Sites Addendum document, sets out the main issues the council need to consider through the new Local Plan under the Council Plan priorities and details of the call for sites process. Comments are sought to help us understand any additional issues we should be considering through the preparation of the Plan and call for sites process.

The Call for Sites Addendum is an information gathering exercise which helps the council to understand what land is potentially available for development within the area, by considering existing sites previously submitted and new site submissions. It is an opportunity for landowners, developers, agents, and site promoters to reconfirm the availability of existing site submissions and submit new sites, within North Lincolnshire, which are considered to have potential for development.

The Call for Sites Addendum is the first step in selecting sites which are suitable, available and achievable for housing, economic development or other uses over the plan period (2025-2043). When the new Local Plan is adopted, the site ‘allocation’ will confirm that the principle of the development of that site for a particular use or purpose is acceptable.

The consultation and call for sites period is running from 21 May 2025 to 23:59pm on 7 July 2025.

Where can I view the information and consultation documents?

The Local Plan Initial Engagement and Call for Sites Addendum consultation document and further information is available to view on the council’s website at localplan.northlincs.gov.uk. Internet access is provided at all libraries in North Lincolnshire during their normal opening hours.

The consultation document is also available to view in paper copy at Church Square House, Scunthorpe (Council’s principal office) during normal opening hours.

How can I respond to the consultation?

The easiest and most efficient way to submit your comments is via the interactive response form on the council’s Local Plan website: localplan.northlincs.gov.uk. Doing so should save you time and allow the council to process and consider your comments more quickly.

Alternatively, paper response forms are also available on request from the Place Planning team and sent via post, or comments can be sent by email. Contact details are provided at the end of this guidance note.

Please note, online submissions are our preferred method of contact and will help us analyse and review consultation comments more quickly and keep to timescales for preparing the Local Plan.

All consultation responses must be submitted on or before the consultation close date 23:59pm on 7 July 2025.

How do I submit a new site to the council?

Sites should be submitted to the council using the Call for Sites Submission Form. This will help ensure that we have the necessary information required to consider the site’s suitability. If you are submitting more than one site, you will need to complete a separate form for each site.

All details of the site can be filled in and the site boundary drawn on the map. Once submitted, the information provided will automatically be logged on a database. If you require help completing the online form, please visit your local Library or Community Hubs, or contact the Place Planning team (contact details are provided at the end of this guidance note).

Once the form is submitted successfully, you will receive an acknowledgement email to say that we have received the site submission, with a separate reference number for each site.

If you are unable to submit an electronic form, please complete a hard copy of the submission form, accompanied by a map that clearly and accurately identifies the site boundary and any supporting information via post (contact details are provided at the end of this guidance note).

Ideally, the maps should be on an Ordnance Survey base at an appropriate scale e.g. 1:2,500. This will allow us to accurately identify the site and record it on our mapping system. Please note incomplete forms or submissions without a suitable map may not be considered.

Do I need to re-submit sites that have been put forward in the past?

Yes, if you wish for a previous site submission to be reconsidered in the new Local Plan. Re-submission is preferable to ensure we hold the most up to date and accurate information, particularly regarding deliverability and availability of sites. Existing sites that are not reconfirmed will be deleted in line with our retention policy, including contact details for those sites.

How do I re-submit an existing site to the council?

If you've previously submitted a site to the council, please log in to confirm its availability and update any information. Please use the original email address you used for the submission. If you can no longer access that email, please submit the site as new. Once logged in you should be able to see details of all sites you have previously submitted to the council. Please check and update details of all sites you wish to resubmit as necessary. You are also able to amend the site boundary if this has changed by dragging the existing site outline on the interactive map.

Previously, several duplicate sites were submitted to the council that had minor differences in site boundaries and area but from the same landowner or agent. To avoid duplication, please only submit sites once in their entirety and do not resubmit smaller versions of the same site. The site assessment process will determine which sites or portion(s) of sites are most appropriate to consider for allocation.

Sites that are resubmitted to the council will be retained alongside your contact details and considered through the preparation of the new Local Plan. You will receive an acknowledgement email to say that your details have been updated, with a new reference number for each site. Please note, previous site references will not be used moving forward. We may contact you for further information about your site if needed. You will be also kept informed at the relevant stages of Plan preparation of your site’s progress.

If you require any assistance in reconfirming the site, or are unable to access the online form, please contact the Place Planning team (contact details are provided at the end of this guidance note).

Existing sites that are not reconfirmed will be deleted in line with our retention policy, including contact details for those sites.

Do I need to submit any additional information or supporting material?

At this stage, you do not need to submit any additional information other than that requested on the Site Submission Form. Extensive supporting information and documentation is not required at this point and may not be considered. If the council considers that more information is needed to help the site assessment process, you will be contacted using the details you provide.

Who can put sites forward?

Anyone can submit a site for consideration, including individuals or organisations, landowners, developers, agents, and local businesses.

Demonstrating ownership of the land/landowner support, is a key part of assessing and evaluating sites submitted and whether these should go forward for further consideration. Please note that details of land ownership and/or proof of support from the landowner/s may need to be submitted, if requested.

What uses can sites be put forward for?

The council is seeking to identify sites for a wide range of uses that could potentially be allocated in the new North Lincolnshire Local Plan.

These uses include:

• Residential (i.e. market housing, affordable housing and specialist housing, Gypsy and Traveller/Travelling Showpeople accommodation sites)
• Employment (i.e. office, research and development, light industrial, general industrial and warehousing)
• Retail/Town Centre Uses
• Community Facilities
• Sports/Leisure and Community Facilities
• Infrastructure (i.e. education, transport, renewable energy, communications)
• Waste management
• Minerals extraction and processing

Are there any requirements which sites must meet?

Yes. To be considered, sites must generally:

• have an area of at least 0.25 hectares or be capable of accommodating 5 or more dwellings or 500+ sqm of employment floorspace. Sites below this size can still be submitted and will be considered for inclusion in a review of the development limits.
• NOT be within a designated:
  • Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
  • Special Protection Area (SPA)
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • Ramsar Site
  • Flood Zone 3b (functional floodplain where flood risk cannot be mitigated)
  • Ancient Woodland
  • Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Zone 1 (housing sites only)

How will the council assess the sites that are submitted?

Submitted sites will be assessed for their suitability, availability, and achievability. A wide range of criteria is used to determine whether or not they are suitable to be included as allocations within the new Local Plan. Including (but not limited to) the following:

• Land use - adjacent, previous, and current
• Location within North Lincolnshire
• Physical constraints, e.g. flood risk, contamination, access
• Environmental constraints e.g. biodiversity implications
• Heritage setting
• Proximity to services and infrastructure e.g. public transport

The methodology the council will follow to assess and compare the suitability of potential development sites submitted is set out in the Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA). The assessment is undertaken in two stages; stage one eliminating sites with absolute constraints (see designations listed above), and stage two a more detailed site assessment of suitability, availability and achievability for those sites making it through stage one. Submitting a site does not mean the site will be allocated for development.

What happens next?

The council will assess and consider all sites submitted (see above). Further consultation sites selected for allocation will be carried out through the release of a Draft Local Plan. Following this, the council will make a final decision on which sites to allocate for development in the Pre-Submission Local Plan. This is expected in Winter 2025/26 in line with the timetable set out in the council’s latest Local Development Scheme.

When do I have to submit my site or sites by?

All sites should be submitted to the council by 23:59pm on 7 July 2025 in order for us to consider these for inclusion in the forthcoming draft version of the Local Plan.

If a site is submitted after the above deadline, it might be possible to include it in the Publication (final) version of the Plan, depending on the site’s merits. Alternative land bids may also be considered for inclusion in the event that additional or replacement sites are required.

Will my information be public?

Responses to the consultation will be made publicly available to view on the council’s website. Details of the submitted sites will also be made public as it will form part of the evidence base used to inform the creation of planning policy documents (Local Plan).

The council only redacts comments from individual members of the public to remove personal data in respect of email addresses, telephone numbers and signatures. The council will not post comments which it considers to be libellous, discriminatory or otherwise offensive. For more information on how we use your information, please see our data protection and privacy webpage.

Who do I contact for further information?

All information is available on the council’s Local Plan website at localplan.northlincs.gov.uk.

If you have any further queries, please contact the Place Planning team via email at localplan@northlincs.gov.uk or telephone at 01724 296694.

Postal correspondence should be sent to: Place Planning, North Lincolnshire Council, Church Square House, 30-40 High Street, Scunthorpe, DN15 6NL.