Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, what definition his Department uses for (a) deliverability and (b) viability. [155018]

Nick Boles, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Planning: The National Planning Policy Framework at footnote 11 explains that to be considered deliverable “sites should be available now, offer a suitable location for development now, and be achievable with a realistic prospect that housing will be delivered on the site within five years and in particular that development of the site is viable.”

Furthermore, planning policy on viability is set out at paragraph 173. This states that, to ensure viability, “the costs of any requirements likely to be applied to development, such as requirements for affordable housing, standards, infrastructure contributions or other requirements should, when taking account of the normal cost of development and mitigation, provide competitive returns to a willing land owner, and willing developer to enable the development to be deliverable.”

Further guidance is contained within the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment guidance (August 2007) on assessing deliverability, which includes assessing viability. This guidance remains in place pending the outcome of the review of planning practice guidance, and can still be used where relevant to the National Planning Policy Framework.

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