Final public consultation on future Leeds housing and development plans set to start

Final public consultation on future Leeds housing and development plans set to start

A final round of public consultation on the future development of Leeds district including the locations of 66,000 new homes begins next week.

Starting on Tuesday 22 September and running until 5pm on Monday 16 November, the consultation entitled ‘Your city, Your plan’ is calling for views on potential locations identified for new housing, employment, retail and green space across Leeds up to 2028.

The locations are detailed in two plans produced by Leeds City Council, the Site Allocations Plan which covers all of the district except for a specific area south east of the city centre, which because of its significant economic regeneration potential is covered by the separate Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan.

Following earlier consultation and preparation phases, both plans are now at advanced stages with draft publication versions of each ready for a final round of public consultation with full details and feedback able to be given at www.leeds.gov.uk/yourcity

A series of drop-in sessions will take place at locations around the city (see notes for full list), while printed forms will also be made available in libraries and one stop centres although giving feedback online is preferred.

The plans follow on from the Core Strategy which was adopted in Leeds last year after being endorsed by a government inspector with 70,000 new homes identified as being needed up to 2028. This figure includes an allowance for new development through demolitions and ‘windfall’ sites, which means the Site Allocations Plan and Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan allocates land for a net total of 66,000 new homes.

To provide these homes the plans split the Leeds district into 11 geographical housing areas with the new homes to be developed in three phases. Of the 11 areas, the two highest in terms of receiving new housing would be the city centre and ‘inner area’ of Armley, Beeston Hill, Belle Isle, Gipton and Harehills, Hyde Park and Woodhouse, Hunslet and Seacroft to help boost regeneration and economic growth in those parts of the city.

Other key principles include:

• Continue the policy which has seen more than 1,000 long-term empty homes returned to occupation since 2012
• In the first five years, the target is for the balance of development to be 65%-35% in favour of regenerating brownfield sites with a focus on bringing empty homes back into use
• Overall 52% of identified sites (by capacity) are brownfield compared with 48% which are greenfield
• Priority areas being released first would be those supporting regeneration, making best use of infrastructure or providing new services such as schools

The plans include potential sites to meet the needs identified in the Core Strategy for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

Following the consultation, the responses will be reviewed with the plans and comments then submitted to the government for examination.

Leeds City Council executive member for regeneration, transport and planning Councillor Richard Lewis said:

“This public consultation is especially important as these plans are the keys to realising the city’s commitments to regeneration and providing new homes and jobs across the Leeds district. Seeking and considering people’s views meaningfully is a fundamental part of this process, so I would encourage as many people as possible to tell us what they think of the proposed locations.

“The plans continue to be underpinned by a focus on brownfield first, protecting our countryside, encouraging regeneration and bringing empty and former homes back into use. Having come this far in the process it is imperative we get the plans approved as soon as we can as without them the city will be more vulnerable to speculative, poorly planned and uncoordinated development, to the detriment of local communities across Leeds.”

For more information go to www.leeds.gov.uk/yourcity

Notes to editors:

The drop-in sessions around the city will take place as follows:

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council press office,

Tel: 0113 395 0244