The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) (formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)), working in conjunction with English Partnerships, Ordnance Survey and the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), has commenced work on an assessment of vacant and derelict sites and other previously developed land throughout England that may be available for housing or other development.

Fundamental to the concept of the National Land Use Database is the principle that the database will be updated through data sources managed by Local Planning Authorities. Torbay Council is an active participant in this process. Our seventh return was made in 2007.

The Regional Observatory (of the Regional Assembly) administers this online database in order to provide annual data on regional planning issues, which informs RPG10. It was created in 2002. There are a number of indicators, based primarily on housing issues, but also requiring data on the development plan, demographic profile, employment land, the local environment and transport. This includes several of the indicators included in the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR), to ensure a co-ordinated response across the region. The housing and employment land monitors provide a proportion of the data required.