Call for Sites FAQs

A Call for Sites is an information gathering exercise which helps the Council to understand what land is potentially available for development within the district. It is an opportunity for landowners, developers, agents, and site promoters to submit sites, within East Herts, which are considered to have potential for development. We also welcome the submission of other sites that could contribute to nature enhancement and recovery in East Herts.
 

Following the Call for Sites, submitted sites will be assessed for their suitability, availability, and achievability. Submitting a site does not mean the site will be allocated for development.

The sites will be assessed on a variety of factors, including (but not limited to) the following:

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

The Call for Sites is the first step in selecting sites for allocation in the upcoming District Plan Review.
 

When the Government confirms the final plan making process, the Council will be able to set out its future timeline for the District Plan Review.

In the meantime, following the Call for Sites, the Council will begin to consider the submitted sites.
 

Anyone can submit a site for consideration, including individuals or organisations, landowners, developers, agents, and local businesses. Please note that details of ownership and support from the landowner/s will be required. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted as contact details are essential for progressing any potential site.
 

For each proposed site, an online submission form should be completed including a plan showing the precise site boundaries. The plan should be plotted via the online form by using either the plotting tool or can be uploaded as a GEOJSON file attachment.

If you require any support completing the form, please use the contact details below.

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.
 

• Sites can be greenfield or previously developed (brownfield) land. 
• The site needs to be wholly or partially within East Herts District.
• Submitted sites must have an area of at least 0.25 hectares or be capable of accommodating 5+ dwellings or 500+ sqm of employment floorspace.
• Sites can be submitted for a large variety of proposed uses.
   

The Call for Sites is an opportunity to propose land within East Herts that could be used for offsite biodiversity net gain (BNG). BNG is a way of creating and enhancing natural habitats over at least 30 years. BNG cannot always be provided on the development site, so developers can pay other landowners to carry out habitat improvements on their behalf.

We also welcome the submission of other sites that could contribute to nature enhancement and recovery in East Herts. This includes opportunities for habitat restoration and creation that do not meet the BNG monitoring and management requirements but could help enhance the district’s natural environment.

Please note, if you are putting forward a site for habitat creation or enhancement, you can also ask for this to be considered as part of Hertfordshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). This strategy is being developed by Hertfordshire County Council and aims to identify locations to create, enhance or recover habitats in the county. It is a separate process from the Call for Sites. Identification of your site in the LNRS could provide opportunities to attract investment and funding through land enhancement. For more information and to register your site in the LNRS see Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership | Hertfordshire County Council.
 

Please complete the form with as much detail as possible. The form requires information on the following:

• Land ownership
• Site features - location/ size/ facilities/ access
• Any current or previous land use
• Site constraints, including environmental
• Proposed land use
• Estimated timescale for development
• Site boundary
   

The online form contains all the information that the Council requires at this stage. If further information is required, we will contact you in due course.
 

Yes. We are not automatically assuming any sites submitted in the past are still available, so you will need to complete a new form.

Please note, if your site is already allocated in the current District Plan, there is no need to resubmit.
 

The Call for Sites will be open for submissions between Friday 5 July until Monday 30 September 2024.

We encourage sites to be submitted within the current Call for Sites period stated above where possible. If a site is submitted after the deadline of Monday 30th September 2024, then it is likely to be assessed at a later stage of the plan making process.
 

Details of the submitted sites will be available for the public to view as a list and on an interactive map after the Call for Sites is closed.

All sensitive information, including contact details, will be redacted prior to site submissions being made public.

Information submitted will be processed using your consent; you can revoke this at any time by emailing callforsites@eastherts.gov.uk. We get all of your information directly from you. Your information will be retained in line with our Retention Schedule. For more information on your data subject rights, 

Please use the Policies Map to understand the constraints on and around your site.