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The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires councils to encourage the effective use of land within settlements by reusing land that has been previously developed (brownfield land).

Since December 2017, local authorities have been legally required to prepare, maintain and publish a brownfield land register of sites. Registers will help builders to identify potentially suitable brownfield sites for housing development, whilst data on sites is ‘harvested’ nationally. 

Details are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017

What does inclusion mean?

  • Part 1 of the register is an information register of previously developed land that the Council considers appropriate for residential development against the Regulation 4 criteria. It does not grant planning permission.
  • Only sites entered in Part 2 are granted “Permission in Principle”.

Important: Inclusion in Part 1 does not grant planning permission or Permission in Principle, and does not imply planning permission will be granted. Planning applications will continue to be determined in accordance with the development plan and other material considerations.

To be included on a register, sites must be:

  • Suitable for residential development (as defined in Regulation 4), having regard to the development plan, national policy and any relevant representations.
  • Considered appropriate having regard to potential adverse impacts on the natural environment, the local built environment (including heritage assets) and local amenity.
  • Achievable means that, in the Council’s opinion, the development is likely to take place within 15 years of the entry date.
  • At least 0.25 hectares in size or capable of supporting five or more dwellings, and
  • Available for residential development (for example: the owner or developer has expressed an intention to sell or develop, or the Council considers that there is no impediment to development in terms of either ownership issues or legal constraints on the land).

All sites must be ‘previously developed land’ as defined by the NPPF (as updated from time to time).

East Devon District Council’s Brownfield Land Register

This is available to view as a PDF or csv file, and on the interactive map provided below. It was most recently reviewed in May 2026.

Registers are kept in 2 parts:

  • Part 1 comprises brownfield sites which meet the above criteria.
  • Part 2 may comprise housing-led sites which the Council also considers suitable to be granted ‘Permission in Principle’. Sites entered in Part 2 are granted Permission in Principle and would still require Technical Details Consent before development can proceed.
  • At this stage no sites have been identified for inclusion in part 2 of the register.

Part 1 of the register includes sites that have planning permission, or are allocations in the adopted Local Plan.  The register may also include relevant sites submitted through our Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment or which may otherwise be identified.

The Brownfield Land Register will be reviewed at least once a year and through ongoing refinement further sites will be added while others may be removed.

Submission of sites for assessment

If you wish to submit details of a site for assessment please complete and return the Brownfield Land Site Submission Form which can be downloaded here.

Submissions can be made by email or post. If you wish to email the form, you will need to save the form as a separate document on your computer once completed and then email to planningpolicy@eastdevon.gov.uk

If you wish to post the form, you can print and send the completed form to Planning Policy, East Devon District Council, Blackdown House, Border Road, Heathpark Industrial Estate, Honiton EX14 1EJ.

You will be notified when we receive your completed form, and following assessment of the site, on whether it is considered eligible for the register.

Submitted sites meeting the criteria will be added to the Part 1 of the register on a regular basis.  Further information is provided on the form and is also available through the Planning Policy section.

Status of sites

The Brownfield Land Register does not affect the status of sites that already have planning permission or are allocated in the adopted Local Plan for development. 

It should be noted that the inclusion of a site in Part 1 of the Register does not give any formal status, grant planning permission or Permission in Principle or infer that planning permission will be granted for development.

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