1. What Is 5 Year Housing Land Supply?

The 5-Year Housing Land Supply is a key planning metric used in UK planning policy to ensure sufficient land is available to meet housing needs over a five-year period. It represents the number of years' worth of housing supply available from deliverable sites.

2. How Does The Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the standard formula:

Where:

• \( \text{Deliverable Sites} \) — Number of housing units on sites considered deliverable (units)
• \( \text{Annual Requirement} \) — Annual housing requirement target (units/year)
• \( 5 \) — The planning period in years

Explanation: This calculation determines how many years of housing supply are available based on current deliverable sites and annual housing requirements.

3. Importance Of Housing Land Supply Calculation

Details: Maintaining a 5-year housing land supply is a statutory requirement in UK planning. Local planning authorities must demonstrate they have sufficient deliverable sites to provide 5 years' worth of housing against their annual requirement.

4. Using The Calculator

Tips: Enter the total number of housing units on deliverable sites and the annual housing requirement. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What constitutes a "deliverable site"?
A: Deliverable sites are those with a realistic prospect of housing being delivered within 5 years, including sites with planning permission, allocated sites, and suitable brownfield sites.

Q2: How is annual housing requirement determined?
A: Annual requirement is typically based on local plan housing targets, household projections, or standard method calculations as set out in national planning policy.

Q3: What happens if supply falls below 5 years?
A: If a local authority cannot demonstrate a 5-year supply, the "tilted balance" applies, making it easier to obtain planning permission on unallocated sites.

Q4: Are there different calculation methods?
A: While the basic formula is standard, some authorities use more complex methods accounting for build-out rates, site-specific constraints, and housing trajectory projections.

Q5: How often should this calculation be updated?
A: Local planning authorities typically update their housing land supply position annually, though more frequent updates may be required in response to major planning applications.