Gross site area
For the purposes of determining housing density, ‘gross site area’ is the total land area as part of the development. Infrastructure and services serving a wider area (such as parks and open space) are considered part of the gross site area. This includes:
- Major distributor roads.
- Primary schools, churches, shopping areas etc.
- Open spaces serving the wider areas.
- Significant landscape buffering strips.
Net site area is the land that is available for development. It is also referred to as the area of developable land. The net site area is more than the land for dwellings and private space and includes other areas that contribute to the use and enjoyment directly linked to the developed dwellings. This includes:
- Access roads within the site.
- Private garden space.
- Car parking space.
- Incidental open space.
- Children’s play areas.
In planning practice it is common to determine net site area as a percentage of gross site area, known as the gross to net ratio.
Ref Telford & Wrekin Council Local Plan 2011 – 2031 Technical Paper. Density and net site area study, July 2015.
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