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.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.