I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
This request is narrowly focused on (i) the evidential basis for paragraph 9.4 of the officer report for planning application 25/03299 (which states: "However, there are other self build opportunities in the Borough").
1) Source material used to support the para 9.4 statement (25/03299)
Please provide copies of any material held by the Council that the case officer relied upon or created when reaching the view that "other self build opportunities" exist, including (as applicable):
• internal emails/notes/Teams messages/briefings (e.g. from Planning Policy);
• any officer working notes, draft text, link lists, spreadsheets, screenshots, or saved searches;
• any planning portal search records or outputs (including search criteria/filters and resulting lists), where held.
If no such records are held (i.e. the statement was made without recording the sites/plots identified), please confirm that explicitly.
2) Identify the "other self build opportunities" (table completion)
For each "self build opportunity" identified or relied upon for the purpose of para 9.4 (whether from internal advice or officer research), please complete the following table:
Planning ref / site Address / location Self-build / custom-build / both Recorded as "available to acquire" at the time para 9.4 was written? (Y/N/Unknown) What evidence of availability does the Council hold? (marketing particulars; owner/agent confirmation; internal note; none / permission only)
Please distinguish self-build from custom-build, as para 9.4 refers specifically to self-build availability.
3) Any "plot availability" list(s) held by RBWM
Please provide any list(s) held by the Council (public or internal) of self-build and/or custom-build plot availability/opportunities, including the version current on 11 February 2026.
4) Numbers only: approaches/offers received from landowners/agents
The Council’s webpage invites landowners to contact the Planning Policy team to add sites to a list of available self/custom-build plots.
For the period 1 January 2025 to the date of this request, please provide the following numbers:
a) the dates and number of approaches/submissions received from landowners/agents offering plots for:
• self-build;
• custom-build; and
• both/self+custom;
b) the dates and total number of plots offered through those approaches/submissions, broken down into:
• self-build plots offered;
• custom-build plots offered; and
• plots offered as both/self+custom;
c) the date and number of approaches/submissions that resulted in plots being:
• added to any Council-held list (public or internal); and/or
• published on the Council’s public pages (if applicable).
If the Council does not record plot numbers offered, please confirm that explicitly.
5) Emails sent to the Self Build Register advertising plots
Please provide the number and dates of any emails (or other direct communications) sent by the Council to individuals on the Self Build and Custom Housebuilding Register advertising available plots, for the period 1 January 2025 to the date of this request.
Where held, please provide copies of the emails/communications. If copies are not held, please provide for each email/communication:
- the date sent;
- a description/address or planning reference for the plots offered;
- the number of plots offered; and
- whether the plots were advertised as self-build, custom-build, or both.
6) Additional point: how "other opportunities" affected the weighting
Please provide any note (including internal email, briefing, or officer working note) explaining how the case officer determined that the existence of "other self build opportunities in the Borough" reduced the public benefit/weight attributed to the provision of six self-build plots in the planning balance for application 25/03299.