Call for development sites Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happens after you submit a site to us?

The site will be added to our submitted sites register and a high-level assessment will be undertaken through a Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA). We will keep your details on record, and should the site be considered for allocation in the future we will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps.

What about sites submitted to the Council in the past?

The Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment will automatically reassess all sites previously submitted to us through the Oxford Local Plan 2036 or Oxford Local Plan 2040 processes. If you would like to provide us with an update on a previously submitted site, you can do this through the webform or by getting in touch with the Planning Policy team using the details below.

What happens if sites are submitted to the council after 17 March 2025?

We are undertaking a Call for Sites exercise for a 6 week period to ensure the Oxford Local Plan 2042 process can include a robust assessment of all known potentially available land in the city. However, that does not preclude sites being submitted after 17 March 2025. If a site is submitted after 17 March 2025, we will include these in its assessment; however they are likely to be assessed at a later stage of the plan-making process.

Is my site more likely to get planning permission if I submit it through the Call for Sites?

No. The submission of a site, or even a positive assessment of a site, does not mean that the site will be included in the Local Plan or that it will be granted planning permission in the future. The planning merits of the sites submitted will be considered using the criteria and method set out in the relevant government guidance. The Call for Sites is a data gathering exercise which collects an audit of sites which may be available for development. It does not grant planning permission to any sites submitted or state that the sites are suitable for development.

What is the timeframe for the new Local Plan 2042?

The timeframe for the new Local Plan 2042 is set out within our Local Development Scheme (LDS).

What will happen to my personal information?

No personal information will be made publicly available. We will keep your details in line with our planning consultations privacy policy. We ask for your contact information so that we can contact you if your site is to be taken forward as a potential allocation within the local plan process.