Service to reduce red tape for co-housing groups and community developers

A new service will allow developers, including co-housing groups, to make enquiries about any plot of land easily, and well in advance of purchase.

If a developer is considering developing a site which lies close to a major hazard installation or pipeline, this service from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will provide information at an early stage about the consultation distances and zones which apply, so that the developer can assess whether HSE would need to be consulted over a planning application.

Peter Brown, Head of HSE’s Hazardous Installations Policy Division, said: “The advisory service is being planned and designed around what users need. 

“Discussions with developers and other parties involved in the planning process have indicated that being able to find out more detail about a piece of land in advance of purchase helps to quicken the development process and can also save significant costs.  

“By enabling easier and more transparent access to HSE’s Land Use Planning advice, developers and planners will be able to get quick or even immediate answers to queries related to a plot of land they may be interested in purchasing or developing”. 

The new service was launched on July 28th but will be fully rolled out in March 2015.