This document contains a number of frequently asked questions about the Consilium datasets, along with answers.
- How did Edge Analytics collect the Consilium datasets, and how often is this information updated?
Edge Analytics collects the source data directly from Local Planning Area websites. In some instances, Edge Analytics also approaches the local authorities to request data. Net Additional Dwellings data and Housing Delivery Test (HDT) figures are collected from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) website. As each Authority publishes their planning policy data regularly but with differing frequencies, Edge Analytics are continually updating all areas, to ensure that every area is updated within each 3 to 6-month period.
- Will the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC) receive the updated Consilium data?
CDRC may receive updates on behalf of users if there is evidence of demand. This could be update quarterly or annual update cycles.
- Why are the macro-level data not consistent between Local Authorities in England and Wales?
The Consilium macro-level data is organised into six distinct categories: Council Completions; DLUHC Completions or Welsh Government (WG) Housing Stock; Need/Demand; Requirement/Targets; Supply; and Delivery. Within each category, Edge Analytics assigns a subcategory, to further distinguish between the data types. Individual Authorities may not publish data for all of these distinct categories and subcategories, and hence, there is variation between the data available across the Authorities.
- Is it correct to say that the Consilium dataset covers the whole planning framework, starting from the Local Authority Need (LHN), Housing Land availability, and ending with the local plan (target, 5-year supply, whole housing trajectory) and completions?
This is the correct understanding of how the local authorities are meant to produce these planning policy data types. The first stage in the Local Plan (LP) preparation is to identify housing needs and requirements and identify available land for housing. The LP requirement is adopted in the LP, alongside a corresponding housing trajectory, to illustrate the requirement will be met throughout the plan period. The 5-year supply is published annually and assesses whether the authority will meet the LP requirement, plus appropriate buffer and adjustment for historical under-delivery, over the next 5-year period. Once a plan has been adopted longer than 5 years ago, the 5-year supply is calculated against the LHN figure instead of the LP requirement. The authority should also publish the recorded dwelling completions, usually published annually within its Authority Monitoring Report.
Please note that the Consilium data supplied here may not have been published in this chronological sequence. Consilium data provides the latest data for each of the existing data categories. This may mean, for example, that if an Authorities has an adopted LP requirement, and has since updated its LHN position - perhaps because it is beginning a review of its LP - then the LHN in the Consilium data extract will not be the housing need figure on which that LP requirement was originally based.
- Does the Consilium dataset cover all the Local Authorities in England & Wales?
The macro-level and LP status data are supplied for 346 Local Authorities in England & Wales. The five-year housing supply site data is for 156 Local Authorities in England & Wales, containing data for 29,547 housing sites, along with trajectory site data for 251 Local Authorities in England & Wales, containing data for 47,174 housing sites. Consilium do not provide any micro-data (housing sites) for 72 of the Local Authorities in England & Wales.
Edge Analytics operate a process of continually updating Consilium, in order to ensure that the resource contains the latest available data. However, not all Local Authorities publish or provide housing site data to cover both their 5-year supply and trajectory figures. Given this issue, the Research Analysts at Edge Analytics are continually processing and researching the housing site data. This approach ensures that the Consilium database records the latest published housing site data, and that additional research is provided, where it is available.
- What is the situation for brownfield site data?
Edge Analytics collect the published Brownfield Land Register data from the Local Authority websites. It is unform and consistent across all authorities, noting this data covers England only.
- What is meant by “year and quarter” in the Consilium datasets?
Edge Analytics record the year and quarter in which they collect any site data.
- How does Consilium calculate the figures for housing completions?
Historical housing completions are found in three categories of the Consilium macro-level data. These are:
(1) Council Net Completions – the housing completions published by the Councils in their planning policy documents;
(2) DLUHC Net Additional Dwellings (Live Table 122) – the additional dwellings published by the DLUHC for each Authority in England. These include changes in the size of the Authorities’ dwelling stocks, due to new builds, conversions (e.g. houses to flats), changes of use (e.g. office to housing) and demolitions;
(3) WG Housing Stock – The changes in dwelling stock estimates published by the Welsh Government for each Authority in Wales. These figures record the annual changes to the Welsh dwelling stock through new build completions plus any gains or losses through conversions and demolitions.
These data items may not align, due to the different ways in which the Authorities report their completions data in LP documentation, and the formats in which they report the data to DLUHC.