Candidate Sites 

Second Call for Sites

The candidate site methodology sets out that a second call for candidate sites would take place during the consultation on the RLDP Preferred Strategy. This consultation took place between the 6th of December 2023 and the 14th of February 2024 and included a second call for Candidate Sites.

The inclusion of a site in the Candidate Site Register does not infer that it will be allocated within the emerging RLDP, nor does it imply any preference of the Local Planning Authority regarding its merits. This register is not a public consultation document; merely a statement of fact of all the candidate sites which have been submitted at this stage.

Several representations were received in the consultation on the Preferred Strategy that requested adaptations be made to candidate sites that were submitted in the original call. In places these were treated as amendments to existing submissions. However, where representations were received fundamentally changing the nature of a submission new candidate site files were set up so that these submissions could be assessed in isolation of the original submission.

Candidate Site Register

Call for Gypsy & Traveller Sites

Following the consultation on the Preferred Strategy, the Council are now conducting a specific call for Gypsy and Traveller candidate sites.

The 'Call' for candidate sites run between Monday 19^th February and midnight on Monday 1^st April 2024.

Submitted sites should be a minimum of 0.5 hectares and ideally located within a reasonable distance of services and facilities, level with good access and the availability of, or the potential to provide general utilities.

Given the specific nature of the ‘Call’, submitted sites do not need to conform with the general RLDP preferred strategy and are not required to be supported by a viability assessment. All sites submitted with be considered against the general criteria set out in the Candidate Site Assessment methodology.

The submission of a candidate site does not confer any status on the site and the Council will not be considering any sites submitted for uses other than for gypsy and traveller accommodation.

The Gypsy and Traveller Candidate Site form is available here:

Gypsy and Traveller Candidate Site Form

The Candidate Site Process 

The Call for Candidate Sites is an important step in Council’s evidence gathering process to inform future drafting of the Replacement LDP.  Proposers are required to provide suitable evidence to robustly demonstrate the sustainability, deliverability and financial viability of sites.

Detailed evidence upfront and early in the plan making process, is essential to inform the Deposit Plan. Therefore, candidate sites submitted at this stage must be accompanied by full supporting evidence, otherwise they will be discounted. This would include a Development Viability Model, information on which can be found using the below page:

Viability Assessment Guidance

Accordingly, a Candidate Site Guidance Note (pdf) and Candidate Site Assessment Methodology (pdf) were prepared to assist Candidate Site proposers with their submission, providing further details on the types of sites that are likely to be acceptable and the information that is required to be submitted in support of their site proposal.

Candidate Site proposals received within the consultation period will be considered for inclusion within the RLDP and assessed in accordance with the approved assessment methodology with results to be publicised at the Deposit stage.

Further details on submitting candidate sites were made available during the consultation on the Preferred Strategy on our consultation portal.

The Candidate Sites Register

The Candidate Sites Register is a record of all sites submitted to the Council as part of the Call for Candidate Sites that was undertaken between 17 June and 13 September 2022. The purpose of this register is to identify what land could potentially be available for allocation in the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP). An updated Register will be produced following the second call for sites.  

Stages 1 and 2 of the candidates site assessment have now been completed and the outcomes of this are available to view in the Stage 2 Candidate Site Assessment Register.

It is important to note that the submission of sites and their inclusion in the Candidate Sites Register does not guarantee that they will be taken forward into the Deposit RLDP. All candidate sites will be subject to a robust assessment process to determine their suitability or otherwise for allocation.

The Candidate Site Register and Stage 2 Assessment can be found on our online consultation portal:

Online Portal 

PDF versions can be accessed from the following links:

Candidate Site Register PDF

Stage 1 Candidate Site Assessment Register PDF 

Contact Us

If you require any further information or have any questions, please contact the LDP Team on:

• 01446 704681
• ldp@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk