First Call for Sites
In summer 2024 we launched our first Call for Sites to invite suggestions for land that could be developed for housing, employment, minerals and waste uses.
Housing and Employment Sites
476 sites were submitted in the Call for Sites for housing or employment use.
View the location of the sites submitted in the 2024 Call for Sites exercise
We are now assessing the sites and will be publishing a draft Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) in autumn 2026. This will provide an initial high level assessment of whether sites are likely to be suitable, available and achievable for housing or employment development. It does not propose sites for allocation. It is the first stage in the site assessment process. We will ask for feedback on sites in the draft SHELAA and this will inform the next stage in the process where we will engage with internal Council departments and external organisations to gather more technical and specialist information about the sites before making any recommendations on preferred sites for inclusion in the Local Plan.
At the end of 2025 we published an initial ‘constraints assessment report’ for housing and employment sites. The government has since published new guidance on how we should assess sites and this has resulted in major changes to the software and method we are using to assess sites. The report is no longer available on our website but is available on request.
Email: localplan@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Minerals and Waste Sites
The new Local Plan for Westmorland and Furness will include policies for minerals and waste which, once adopted, will replace the policies in the Cumbria Minerals and Waste Local Plan.
Minerals
20 sites were submitted in the Minerals Call for Sites.
View the location of the sites submitted in the 2024 Call for Sites exercise
We are now undertaking a high level assessment looking at key constraints that may affect sites and to gather other relevant information. This will help us to consider whether each of the submitted sites could be considered suitable, available and achievable for minerals purposes.
Waste
3 sites were submitted in the Waste Call for Sites.
View the location of the sites submitted in the 2024 Call for Sites exercise
We are now undertaking a high level assessment looking at key constraints that may affect sites and to gather other relevant information. This will help us to consider whether each of the submitted sites could be considered suitable, available and achievable for waste management purposes.