Public consultation begins on revised future housing plans for outer north east area of Leeds

A new period of public consultation has started this week on the options to provide up to 3,000 new homes in the outer north east area of Leeds up to 2028.

The consultation, which will run for the next six weeks until Monday 7 November, forms part of the citywide Site Allocations Plan (SAP) to guide future development across Leeds.

As part of the plan, all areas of the city have been earmarked to receive an allocation of the total net 66,000 new homes identified in the Core Strategy as being needed in Leeds by 2028.

The new consultation on the plan for the outer north east area has been needed following the withdrawal of Headley Hall in Bramham from consideration, which as a major site with a capacity for up to 3,000 new homes accounted for 60 per cent of the total new housing provision for the area.

Leeds City Council has now put forward alternative proposals for consideration to make up the shortfall, which can be seen at http://www.leeds.gov.uk/council/Pages/Site-Allocations-Plan-Revised-Publication-Draft-Outer-North-East.aspx

Comments on the revised options can also be made on the webpage, while there will also be two public drop-in sessions on the proposals taking place as follows:

• Tuesday 4th October at Wetherby Town Hall (2-8pm)
• Thursday 20th October at the John Riley Centre, Barwick-In-Elmet (2-8pm)

The information is also available at Wetherby, Boston Spa and Garforth libraries as well as at Wetherby and Garforth One Stop Centres and Leeds City Council’s Leonardo Building reception in the city centre.

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

“We’d like as many people as possible and especially those living in the outer north east area to take a look at these revised options and let us know what they think. This is important as it will shape where new housing goes in this part of the city up to 2028, so we need to hear from as many people as we can in this consultation.”

The feedback and comments received in this new consultation will be considered by the Council’s development plan panel in December.

The outer north east issue is the only element of the Site Allocations Plan which remains outstanding as it is now being finalised in preparation for final approval by the council to be submitted to the government for independent examination, which is expected to be early in 2017.

Alongside the Site Allocations Plan is the Aire Valley Area Action Plan (AVAAP), which covers a specific area south east of the city centre which is significant because of its economic regeneration potential. This plan was approved by Leeds City Council earlier this month and has now been submitted to the Secretary of State for examination.

Both the SAP and the AVAAP follow the same key principles including a focus on bringing long-term empty homes back into use, building on brownfield sites as a priority, and bringing forward opportunities for development which will help support regeneration, make best use of infrastructure or provide new services.

To see the detail and take part in the outer north east public consultation online, visit http://www.leeds.gov.uk/council/Pages/Site-Allocations-Plan-Revised-Publication-Draft-Outer-North-East.aspx

Notes to editors:

The Site Allocations Plan follows on from the Core Strategy which was adopted in Leeds in 2014 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.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Roger Boyde

Leeds City Council press office,

Email: roger.boyde@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 247 5472