Search begins for housing and employment sites in National Park

A CALL for help to identify potential plots of land for building new homes and creating jobs has been issued in the Peak District.

Landowners, developers and agents are all invited to make suggestions as part of a process launched by the Peak District National Park Authority.

The call for development sites feeds into a strategic housing and employment land availability assessment. The results will provide evidence for future development plan reviews.

Any piece of land within the Peak District National Park can be put forward for consideration by the National Park Authority which will be using a set of criteria to measure the potential suitability, availability and achievability of individual plots for development.

Ian Fullilove, a policy planner at the National Park, said: “Like all National Parks, the Peak District has the challenge of balancing development demands without impacting on the special qualities of the area that make it so important to those who live and work within and beyond its boundaries.

“Forward-thinking consultations like this mean communities can get involved and it helps us to plan more effectively, ensuring the National Park meets everyone’s needs.”

The Peak District National Park Authority has not set any targets for the number of homes or employment sites it intends to identify through the assessment, which is being undertaken on its behalf by consultants Peter Brett Associates. A form to respond to the call for sites can be found on the Peak District National Park Authority’s website.

The deadline for making suggestions is 5pm on Friday, January 19.