What is a HELAA or SLAA?

What is a HELAA or SLAA? 

HELAAs (Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessments) and SLAAs (Strategic Land Availability Assessments) are key technical studies produced by Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). Their role is to identify land that could be suitable, available, and achievable for housing or economic development over the plan period.

Small selection of HELAA sites mapped for a Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan in 2017

These assessments form part of the evidence base for planning policy. However, it’s important to understand that just because a site appears in a HELAA or SLAA, it doesn’t mean it will be allocated for development. Inclusion means the site has potential and warrants further consideration – but decisions about actual site allocations are made through the Local Plan or neighbourhood planning processes.

Do Neighbourhood Plans have to allocate land for development?

No, it's not required to allocate land for development in a neighbourhood plan, however choosing to do so triggers paragraph 14 of the NPPF:

"In situations where the presumption (at paragraph 11d) applies to applications involving the provision of housing, the adverse impact of allowing development that conflicts with the neighbourhood plan is likely to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, provided the following apply: a) the neighbourhood plan became part of the development plan five years or less before the date on which the decision is made; and b) the neighbourhood plan contains policies and allocations to meet its identified housing requirement (see paragraphs 69-70)."

Where neighbourhood planners choose not to allocate land, decisions about future development will be made in accordance with the usual planning development process, making unplanned speculative development more likely.

How can reviewing the local HELAA or SLAA help when developing a Neighbourhood Plan?

For parish and town councils developing a Neighbourhood Plan, HELAAs can be a useful starting point for identifying which sites might be considered for allocation. They help provide context on local land supply and what the LPA sees as potentially developable. However, neighbourhood planning groups must still carry out their own site assessment process. This means testing sites against locally important criteria: such as landscape impact, infrastructure capacity, and community support – elements that may not be fully explored in a HELAA and are completely unique to every community. 

In short, HELAAs and SLAAs offer a broad view of land availability, but it’s up to the neighbourhood plan to make locally-informed choices about which sites – if any – to allocate for development. Understanding this relationship is key to shaping plans that respond to both local and strategic priorities.

Do ONH offer support in assessing development sites?

Yes, we can support or deliver site assessments for your neighbourhood plan - or future planning - project, please do contact us for details.