Gathering baselining information to inform a local plan
Draft information on how local planning authorities can collect, map and analyse baselining data, to inform local plans under the new plan-making system.
Applies to England
For plans under the legacy plan-making system
If you are submitting your plan under the legacy system, use the create or update a local plan legacy system guidance.
The legacy system covers plans to be adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, excluding the amendments made by the LURA, and The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
Baselining involves gathering data and information, and carrying out analysis to inform the early stages of plan-making. This will give you information that contributes to:
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shaping the direction of your early plan-making
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drafting a vision
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scoping and preparing your evidence base
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scoping your environmental report for your Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), if required
Baselining will also help you meet the ‘survey of area’ requirement set out in section 13 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
This guidance sets out our recommended approach to baselining. It is not exhaustive, and it is for you to decide what data, analysis and mapping will be most useful to inform the evidence you gather for your plan.
When to carry out baselining
You should carry out baselining before passing through Gateway 1 and starting the 30-month plan-making process.
It would naturally be carried out in tandem with activities such as:
- monitoring your existing local plan
- the process of drafting a vision for your new local plan
There are also overlaps with the gathering of data to inform your SEA.
See the 30-month process overview to see more detail about where baselining fits into the wider plan-making process.
Collect data and analyse trends
The first step in baselining is collecting data. There are two main groups of data to collect and analyse:
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data analysis that shows the current picture of your area, informed partly by the data you will have collected through monitoring your existing local plan
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data that indicates the future of your area, that will help you look at what’s next over, and potentially beyond, the next plan period
The current picture of your area
| Data you could collect | Source you could use |
|---|---|
| Population change overall, in different age groups, and household size |
Overall population change - Nomis Population change in different age groups - Nomis Population change in household size - Nomis |
| Levels of deprivation across the area | English indices of deprivation - GOV.UK |
| Economic change – number of jobs and workforce job change | Economic change - Nomis |
| Progress to deliver existing housing and employment allocations | LPA monitoring |
| Overall housing delivery compared to the adopted housing requirement | LPA monitoring |
| Affordable housing delivery compared to previously assessed need that informed the adopted plan | LPA monitoring |
| Specialist housing delivery - including elderly, student, build to rent, and co-living housing | LPA monitoring |
| Gypsy and Traveller plot delivery | LPA monitoring |
| Change to the median workplace-based housing affordability ratio | House price to workplace-based earnings ratio - ONS |
| Key infrastructure delivery - including transport, education, health, utilities, and energy | LPA monitoring |
| Transport trends – including travel to work, car ownership |
Travel to work, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics Car or van availability - Office for National Statistics |
| Transport connectivity | Connectivity Tool - GOV.UK |
| Environmental assets and patterns – including flood risk, accessibility to green space, air quality, conservation designations, habitats, effects of climate change |
New national flood and coastal erosion risk information - GOV.UK Access to green space in England - GOV.UK Data Archive - DEFRA UK Air - GOV.UK MAGIC Natural England Open Data Geoportal |
The future of your area
| Data you could collect | Source you could use |
|---|---|
| Local Housing Need, calculated using the standard method | Dwelling stock Live tables on dwelling stock (including vacants) - GOV.UK Median workplace-based affordability ratios House price to workplace-based earnings ratio - Office for National Statistics |
| Likelihood of unmet housing need (or other types of need where information exists) and if so, what level it might be at | Discussions with neighbouring and other relevant authorities |
| Population projections (overall and by age) | Population projections - ONS |
| Known or potential transport, infrastructure, or other key investments and known capacity issues | Early engagement on the plans and strategies of infrastructure providers and other relevant public authorities |
Where national datasets are not available, you should also draw on any locally or sub-nationally produced data you have. For example, you may have local data about economic needs, retail needs and gypsy and traveller needs, which will also help develop a picture of the future of your area.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is also adding gradually adding more data to the planning data platform, which you could use to support baselining.
Map your area
Once you’ve gathered the data you need, begin mapping your area. If you can, use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to do so.
Depending on the context and scale of your area, not all of the items below may be relevant.
We recommend that you map:
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settlement boundaries - taking account of both existing allocations and granted planning permissions where either is on the urban edge
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existing broad locations and opportunity area boundaries from your previous plan - including those in the urban area
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any relevant planning constraints
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key local infrastructure that may include public transport connections, key roads and junctions, airports, GP practices, hospitals, primary and secondary schools, key energy facilities and key utilities
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planned projects for transport, infrastructure, or other key investments
Example from an LPA
South West Hertfordshire authorities mapped data about their area in a digital tool, the digital place portrait.
Users can access layers of information, data and narratives to develop insights on topics like the environment, economy and infrastructure.
This is an illustration of one approach. It is not an endorsement or instruction to follow this exact method – you should do what works best for your authority.
This project was funded by MHCLG’s Proptech Innovation Fund.
Review relevant wider priorities and strategies
Alongside these activities, you should also gather and review:
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your wider corporate priorities, values and objectives and the implications of these spatially
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other relevant strategies including local transport plans, housing and economic development strategies, as well as wider corporate strategies for each tier of local government as relevant
Sometimes those strategies may be prepared on different timeframes and might not always recognise current community priorities and views. Balance these strategies within the context of the wider baseline information.
Carry out a critical analysis using these prompts
Drawing on the data analysis and mapping, the final stage of baselining is to carry out a critical analysis.
Use the questions below to help prompt what direction your emerging plan may need to go in. Answering these questions with a realistic assessment of the baseline and the development needs that the plan will need to address will help you:
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develop the emerging plan
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engage more effectively on the plan with elected members, the public, and stakeholders
The answers should be informed by your review of your own priorities, values, and objectives as well as any relevant local strategies.
The purpose of baselining is to inform your early plan-making - you will not have comprehensive answers to all these questions at this stage. Your understanding will develop as you gather more evidence and prepare your plan. We suggest you answer the questions below as best you can with the information you have now.
Prompts
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Are any changes to the settlement hierarchy necessary?
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Has the current spatial strategy been successful in terms of achieving the local plan vision to date?
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Have or will existing allocations come forward in the timeframes originally expected? If not, why not?
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What are the likely local and sub-regional strategic challenges that the emerging plan will need to address (housing, employment, infrastructure, and environmental)?
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Would providing new allocations that generally maintain the current spatial strategy likely address the strategic challenges?
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Might known investments, known constraints, or new growth opportunities require a change to the current spatial strategy?
Use baselining information to inform your plan vision, strategy and evidence
You should use the information you gathered and analysed during the baselining process to:
- prepare your vision
- inform your emerging spatial strategy
- scope and prepare your evidence base.