Brownfield Register

All Councils are required by government to produce and regularly update a register of previously developed sites within their areas that are capable of being re-developed or converted to provide housing-led development.

The government definition of previously developed (colloquially called “brownfield”) land.

All sites in the register must meet the following criteria;

• The site must be at least 0.25 hectares in area or be capable of hosting at least 5 dwellings.
• They should be suitable for residential development.  This means that the land has either already received planning permission for housing or housing led development; or has been allocated in the Council’s Local Plan for such development in the future; or is considered appropriate for such development by the Council.
• They should be available for residential use.  This means that there are no legal or ownership related impediments to development.
• Residential development of the site is achievable.  This means that the land is likely to be developed within 15 years of being entered on the register.

The Register is to contain a standardised set of information for each site and details of this data standard format and content.

The Register was first published in June 2018 and will be reviewed annually.

Structure of the Register

Brownfield Land Registers are structured in two parts.

Part 1 is composed of the list of sites mentioned above that have passed the various criteria set out above

Councils have the power to grant brownfield sites Permission in Principle (PIP), a new stepping stone towards full planning permission, by including them in part 2 of the Register.  The Council currently have no plans to grant Permission in Principle through the Register at this stage.

In addition to the inclusion of a site in the Register a separate route to possible PIP can be made through an application for PIP.  Applications from individuals for Permission in Principle can be viewed by following this link.

For more information please download the routes to Permission in Principle.

The Register Itself

The Register is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, arranged to conform to the government’s standard format and content (see link above). 

Submitting a Site for Inclusion into the Register

If you wish to put forward a site for possible inclusion into the register please complete the Call for Brownfield Sites Form​.

Your Comments

If you have any queries regarding the register please send them to:

Planning Policy Team (Brownfield Register Consultation)
Housing and Regeneration.
Ribble Valley Borough Council
Council Offices
Church Walk
Clitheroe
BB7 2RA

Or email to:  planning.policy@ribblevalley.gov.uk