This is the second edition of Lichfields research on the financial viability of development in planning and plan-making.
First published in 2021, the report provided a comprehensive overview of the way in which viability assessments are conducted to inform local plan preparation. This update has been prepared in the context of a very different political and economic environment. Over recent years, rising build costs, increasing costs of living and higher interest rates have all had an effect on the delivery of new housing.
Viability testing has never been more important, and it is essential to get it right. In the context of a lack of clarity, this analysis helps to provide a reliable means by which the standardised inputs that have been called for by the courts and policy might be achieved.
